Do Not Go Gently
by Psy.Ops
Summary: Rand is given no choice in accepting the help of a group of travelers. Lorena must accept that she is one of the Aes Sedai, as a Wolf Brother gives her an ominous foretelling. New Rating for later chapters. C&C welcome.
1. Portal

Do Not Go Gently

Disclaimers - I do not own any of the WoT series or characters, just the ones that I think up.

Chapter One

Portal 

Sighing, Lorena slumped into her favorite chair. Kicking off the heeled pumps, she scrunched her toes and then stretched them. It felt so good to get them off after the day she had had. Nothing in the world could have been worse than working for that creep of a boss.

Grunting, Lorena sat up and reached for the remote to her radio. Tapping a couple of buttons, Celtic music floated from the speakers. Smiling, she got up and headed for the bedroom, peeling the black blazer from her shoulders. Tossing it onto the bed, she then shucked her purple silk shirt and black skirt. Standing in her bra and panties, Lorena searched the closet for her most comfortable pair of jeans and old-fashioned lawn shirt. Next she hunted up a pair of socks and grabbed her knee high moccasins from the closet floor.

What she needed was some time in the sword master's gym, she thought. Smiling, she pulled the bastard sword from its hook and slung it over her shoulder. The weight wasn't heavy, but it reassured her. 

Giggling now, Lorena walked back through her little apartment and shut off the radio and lights. Grabbing her keys, she took a small wallet from her purse and stuffed it into her back pocket. Looking around the darkened room one last time, Lorena backed into the hall way and locked her door.

Almost laughing, Lorena strode to the elevator and waited for the cab to come down from the fifth floor. She could take the stairs, but she preferred to ride down. You never knew who you would run into. So far she had met half the buildings residents this way. She wondered if the Williames were on their way out or if it was that nice man from the corner of the building on the fifth floor. She couldn't remember his name, but he seemed to be a nice guy. 

Then again, it could be the weirdo from the other end of the building. Lorena's forehead wrinkled as she frowned. He wasn't a very pleasant person. He dressed funny, but then again, Lorena's own dress was a little odd for the city, but his was off the wall. He wore robes with weird designs and runic writing on them. His speech was heavily accented and he had a funny looking goatee. His white hair was slicked back with tons of styling wax and that ridiculous goatee was waxed to a point. His youthful face was all the time screwed up into a scowl and every time he saw Lorena, his eyes would bore into her and make her feel as if he were taking her apart. 

She shuddered and hoped that he wasn't on the elevator. The more she thought about it, the more convinced she was that he was on it. Not wanting to face the queer little man, Lorena turned to go to the stairs. Three flights wouldn't be that bad to do tonight, she assured herself. She hit the corner and had the stairwell door open when she heard the ding of the elevator as it came to a stop on the third floor.

Never more glad to have escaped her building, Lorena waved to the doorman and started for the gym. She loved the this place, this city, this time of year. She could smell the apple cider a vendor was selling down the street, the sweet cinnamon tempting her. A window display showcased the myriad costumes and accessories one needed to be the best princess one could be. Laughing to herself, Lorena reminded herself to check into the little costume shop to see if they had the accessories that she would need in a few days time.

Leaves fell from the trees lining the street. Tempted beyond redemption, Lorena stopped at the vendor and bought a mug of mulled cider. Thanking the man, Lorena tipped him and complimented the cider. He smiled and gave her a refill for free. Lorena thanked him again and headed for the gym. 

The master wasn't expecting her, but he would welcome her into his place. Sword Master Leonard Peeks was a man to be reckoned with. Standing at only five foot nine, he wasn't very imposing. But one look at the way he could handle a long sword or the way that he could float over the floor was enough to make a large man rethink taking the little man on. His footwork was amazing and the way his well built arms flashed as he swung a sword, or even a katana for that matter, was breathtaking. Lorena had fallen in love with swords after watching the man perform at a local craft fair a few years back.

Hell, she was lucky that he took her on. He didn't like women to put it mildly. Master Peeks thought them weak and fragile. It had taken Lorena lifting the impossibly heavy long sword over her head to prove that she was willing to take the pain and punishment of learning the sword. She remembered the day very well.

"Woman, you will never be able to lift that thing over your head!" Master Peeks had shouted at her. "What do you think you could do? You're just a woman! Weak. Fragile. Nothing."

"Shut up, old man!" Lorena had shouted back as she drug the long sword to the center of the gym floor. "You think a woman weak? You think them fragile? What of the women that have fought to keep their families safe? What of Joan of Arc?" Lorena grunted as she shifted the sword.

Master Peeks snorted and hooted in laughter. "Joan of Arc? You've got to be kidding. That female wasn't able to fight at all. She was just a brilliant thinker and stayed back in the lines and let the men do the fighting."

"Think again, old man," Lorena smiled cryptically. Using the muscles that she had aquired working on the family farm back home, Lorena planted her feet and lifted the sword above her head. Trying to keep her balance and that of the sword, Lorena smiled evenly. "You see, old man, women can be pillars of hidden strength. We are far stronger than any man can imagine. Men have kept us physically weak and drummed it into our minds since the beginning of time." 

Lorena could feel the weight of the sword tearing the muscles in her shoulders and upper arms, but she wouldn't let it down until she proved to the bigoted old goat that he was wrong about her. She didn't know why, but she felt that if he saw what she could do, he would teach her the sword.

Sweating now from the effort, Lorena continued, " I am not weak. I am not fragile. I have lived through some of the most horrifying things a person could ever live through. I have lived through the murder of my parents, the death of numerous family members, back breaking farm work, working two jobs to put myself through college, and now I am enduring the most painful test of my life and what do you see, Master Peeks?" Lorena frowned and then shouted, "Tell me!"

Master Peeks had watched her the whole time, smiling. He knew she would pass his test. She had the fiery soul of a swordsman beating within her breast. Her will was strong or she would have given up long ago. Her strength was phenomenal. Not many well muscled men could even lift the long sword above their shoulders, much less their heads, yet this small girl was making them look small in comparison. He could see the sweat beading from her face and rolling down her bronzed neck.

Nodding, Master Peeks answered the girl after a lengthy perusal. "I see a woman of strength and determination. A woman that puts the men that I train to shame with her abilities. I see a woman that can wield a long sword. I see a woman that can outlast even the strongest of my fighters because of her determination and quick mind." 

Master Peeks has been circling her as he spoke. He had seen the strain that the girl was hiding. He could see the muscles in her shoulders standing out. Making a quick decision, he made a grab for the sword from behind. Lorena, sensing a movement near her head ducked and spun, bringing the sword down and away from the movement, but at the same time slipping her foot behind Master Peeks and jerking back on his ankle. 

Master Peeks looked surprised as his feet left the floor and he tumbled to the mats behind him. Before he could pick himself up, the girl had the sword pointed at his throat and was staring into his eyes with coal bright sapphire eyes. He held up his hands and didn't move.

"Do you yield, old man?" Lorena asked quietly, her eyes boring into his black ones.  
"I yield, woman," Peeks had said. "You have the makings of one of my better fighters. You are still slow. You should have sensed that move a second more than you did, but you did well." Peeks looked at the sword still pointed at his throat. "Do you mind?" he said as he pushed the blade from him.

Lorena, tired and worn out, her muscles screaming in pain, clasped the sword in both hands, planted it square in front of her and fell to her knees. Her breathing started to come hard then. She could feel the sweat rolling down her back and between her breasts. She hung her head in pure exhaustion.

Peeks became worried. Only himself and some of the best swordsman in the world could have endured the strain of a fifty pound sword hanging over their heads. The girl had pushed herself beyond endurance and had probably strained every muscle in her upper body to prove him wrong. 

Kneeling by the girl's side, he took the blade from her hands and set it aside. "What is your name, child?"

"Lorena Diar, Master Peeks."

"Master is it? Well, I can't have my newest student lying in the floor," he said lifting her slight frame and grinning at her weak smile.

"So you'll take me on?" she asked, finding her feet. "Even though I made a fool of myself?"

"My child, everyone is a fool, it just takes a wise person to admit it," he answered with candor. "I was once like you and did the same thing. It is what separates us from the weaklings." He walked her to a chair and set her in it. He sauntered over to a cooler and pulled out a bottle of water and brought it back to her. "That was impressive. None of my students have been able to endure the weight of that monster for very long, but you, my dear, have outlasted even me."

Lorena not sure if she was hearing him right, peeked up at him through her brown hair. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Chuckling, Peeks sat down next to Lorena and explained. "When I sought out my master, I did the same thing. Lifting the long sword over your head and balancing it was a trick that knights of old would do to pick the best fighters to train. I held that sword for well over five minutes, and let me tell you, that was the longest five minutes of my young life. I couldn't have been more than fifteen at the time. But you, Lorena, you lasted almost ten minutes. You even talked and ranted at me while holding that blasted thing. I rarely use it myself, but I am proficient with it." He paused and patted her hand.

"I would like you to become my new student. I will personally teach you what I know. I want you to be very good at what you do. What do you say?" He looked into her eyes to see her reaction. It wasn't a light thing he asked, it required many hours of practice and hard work. If he was thinking correctly, this girl could be his successor, just as he was his master's.

Lorena stared at Master Peeks in wonder. Then her eyes lightened to a stunning shade of turquiose. She smiled brilliantly and wrapped her arms around the grumpy man beside her. He couldn't have been more than ten or fifteen years her senior, but he acted like he was over a hundred. He grunted as she hugged him and suspected that he was trying to hide a smile and to keep from hugging her back.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Lorena chuckled as she entered the gym. That had been five years ago. During that time, she and Master Peeks had become best friends. He still had a thing about women, but he thought of her as a sister. A rather pesky one at that.

Smiling, she slipped the strap from her back and opened the case. She pulled the bastard sword from it's bed of blood red silk and cotton. Taking a small piece of silk from the case, Lorena polished her sword. Filigree wrapped the blade in Celtic knots and vines. He Horned God and his consort, Danu, sat at the base of the blade. A Maltese cross, with sapphires inlaid in center of the wings of the cross, graced the black leather bound hilt. The pommel winked in the light. A small sapphire was set deep into the silver and iron alloy hilt.

Sensing something behind her, Lorena spun and jumped at the same time, hearing the wind rushing past her knees. Her sword crashed down onto the pike's haft, shattering it. Lifting the sword to block the sword now flying at her head, Lorena dove to the left, rolling and coming to her feet, sword at the ready. 

Two men she had never met, stared her down. Shifting to a more comfortable stance, Lorena motioned for them to come and get her. Looking at one another, they rushed her. She smiled crookedly. Leaping into them, she surprised the one with the sword and slammed her fist into his face, hearing and feeling his nose break. Swinging her sword lightening fast, she swept the shattered haft from the others hand and kicked his feet out from under him. At the same time, she grabbed Broken Nose's face and swept his feet out from under him and slammed him into the ground. His sword clattered to the gym floor. Lorena scrambled to pick it up and hold both swords at the men's throats. 

Breathing heavily, Lorena stared at them. "Do you yield?"

"Screw you, bitch," Broken Nose said through the blood pouring from his nose.

The pike man glared at her but answered, "We yield. But you shouldn't have broken Seth's nose. It was just a test."

"And you are?" Lorena asked, lowering the swords and backing away from them.

"I'm Donald. We're friends of Master Peeks," Donald said, pointing behind her.

Not taking her eyes from the pair, Lorena called behind her. "Leonard?"

"Yes, my dear?" Peeks answered back.

"Who are these men? And why did they attack me?" Lorena wanted to know really bad. She was actually starting to get a little upset.

"This was your final test, Lorena. You have passed with flying colors it seems. And may I introduce you to Masters William and Drago. They are masters of pike and short sword," he replied, walking out of the shadows. He helped the bleeding Seth to his feet. "Really, dear, did you have to break his nose?"

Lorena stared. She had never beaten Peeks when they battled, but to defeat these two Masters with little effort was astonishing. She was only trying to protect herself. A bubble of mirth came to her lips, but she tried to hold it back. Failing miserably, her laughter bounced around the gym in tinkling counterpoint to the moans of Seth.

"Whath's so funneh?" Seth asked, glaring at her.

Bringing her mirth under control, Lorena smiled prettily at Seth. "Forgive, Master. I was just shocked."

Seth muttered something under his breath, but kept glaring at her. Peeks, smiling, came over to her. Hugging her then kissing both cheeks, he stood back.

"By the Holy Order of the Dragon's Heart, I hearby dub thee, Sword Master Lorena Diar, Mistress of the Blade." He made the sign of the cross and bowed to her. Both Donald and Seth crossed themselves and bowed. Confused, Lorena could only stare.

"What just happened?" she asked when her voice came back.

"My dear child, you are now one of us," Peeks said, grinning from ear to ear. "And my heir."

"Your huh? What's going on?" Lorena demanded. She slung her blade onto her shoulder and waited.

Donald and Seth exchanged looks and shrugged. "Tell her, Leonard." Donald insisted, giving Seth a napkin to clean the blood from his face.

Leonard nodded at his friends and allies. "Yes, I think it's time. Come, Lore. I need to fill you in on what this is all about." He guided her to his office and sat her down. "We," he pointed to the three Masters, "are part of an Order that has existed for well over three thousand years. Each one of us brings a skill to the Order that has no equal in the specified field. I am of the long sword, Donald, Master William, the pike, and Seth, Master Drago, the short sword. 

"We do not involve ourselves in the petty squabbles of the world, we just keep the life of the sword alive. Our talents are used to keep history alive. We travel the world to showcase our skills. But," he paused and looked to the two men, "we do fight battles that do not concern this world."

Lorena blinked. "This world? What do you mean?"

Smiling at her confusion, Leonard motioned behind her. " I would like you to meet, Saris."

Turning, Lorena came face to face with the creepy man from her building. He was staring at her intensely. His clothes were the different. He was wearing buckskin breeches, a green lawn shirt, and a rapier strapped to his side. His hair was waxed to perfection as was his goatee.

"I am pleased to meet you, Mistress Diar," he said, coming to her side and bowing. "You are a most excellent swordswoman. Not many can compare to you, except maybe the Maidens of the Spear."

"The who?" Lorena asked, completely confused. "Why are you here?"

Saris smiled a little and answered, "I have been watching you for some time now. Leonard pointed you out to me when you came to him five years ago. He had told me that he had met a woman that could shake the foundations of the Dark One's confidence with her intelligence and her sword arm. So he set me to watch over you." He paused and nodded at Leonard, as if to thank him. "From what I have seen, you are what we need back home."

Lorena shook her head and just stared at Saris. "And I'm supposed to know what you are talking about?" 

Saris chuckled and it transformed him. He was actually quite handsome, if a little short. "My lady, you could guide my home to a new path."

Leonard waved at Saris to stop him for a moment. "What we want from you is some understanding and a little imagination, Lore. We are offering you a chance to travel to a new world and experience new things. This world is very conflicted at the moment and requires our special skills. Saris' home is under great strife at the moment. He needs us to come with him to help the world become what it once was."

"Okay…" Lorena agreed. What could it hurt? She had nothing here to keep her. Her job was dead-ended. Her apartment was hers until she sold it. Her bills… "What about my bills?"

Donald spoke up at that. "That will be taken care of. Some of our friends will make sure that you have a place to come back to."

"Does this mean that you will join us, my lady?" Saris asked, kneeling by her side.

Lorena thought for just a second and then nodded her head. "I won't regret this will I?"

"Not at all, my dear." Peeks stood and came to her side. "But you will be shocked. I was when I first stepped into Saris' world. I came face to face with my nightmares. I learned to accept the fact that there were things that couldn't be explained. You will soon know this too."

"What do you require of me? What do I need to bring with me?" she asked Saris, her sapphire eyes bright.

Turning, Saris brought a bag to her. "This is what you will need until we reach my estate. Do you know how to ride, my lady?"

"Yes. I grew up on a farm."

"Good, we must not delay now. We are expected," Saris announced to the group.

"What about my nosth?" Seth whined.

"There is a Yellow ensconced at my estate. She will take care of you when we reach our destination. You must bear the pain for a day or so, though." Saris replied apologetically.

Confused again, Lorena looked askance at Saris. "You'll see when we get home. Now, we must leave."

With that, the group gathered the various bags from outside the door. Lorena hadn't noticed them earlier, but shrugged. She trotted to her sword case and placed her sword inside. She would have to get a belt strap to keep it by her side. Coming back to the waiting men, she gestured for them to proceed.

Watching in fascination, Lorena observed Saris make a gesture and mutter something. A small hole formed in a blank wall in front of them. Blinking, Lorena thought it was just the light, but watched as it grew in size. Looking at the men around her, she noticed that they weren't troubled by this phenomenom. Shruging her shoulders, Lorena went with it. She trusted Leonard with her life. If he thought this was fine, then it couldn't be all that bad. And he said that he had been to Saris' world before. 

It never occurred to her that she was seeing something that hadn't been practiced in millenia. She was just excited. Maybe this would be good for her. She had no one, but Leonard and now the three men taking her away from her home. She didn't feel threatened at all. 

Saris smiled to himself and looked back over his shoulder. The girl was calm, as if she had seen and done this before. He hoped that she would keep that calm when she found out about him and his world. He needed her. Hell, his world needed her. Maybe Trisain could do something with the girl's attire. She was lovely, but the breeches and shirt would have to go. It wasn't natural to his way of thinking.

Coming back from his reverie, Saris gestured to his friends and watched them cross the Gate. He held his hand out to Lorena and waited. She took his hand and closed her eyes. He smiled and stepped over the Gate's threshold. 

Saying one final word, the Gate closed on the world of Earth and opened on a brown and hot plain. A mild wind blew over the group. Several horses and men milled around, waiting on a word from their lord. 

Lorena could hear them, but she wanted to experience this new world through her other senses first. She could hear the men and horses, she could smell the heat of the day, the dust that blew through the air. She knelt down and touched the parched earth, running the dirt through her fingers and bringing it to her nose. It smelled dry and dead. 

Opening her eyes, Lorena blinked to adjust to the brightness of midday. When they had left home, it had been pitch black. She glanced at Saris with a question in her eyes, turning them a deep ocean blue. 


	2. Estate Affairs

Do Not Go Gently 

Chapter Two

Estate Affairs

"What do you make of the new one?" a broadchested man asked, leaning over to talk to his bunkmate. The horses shifted and snorted at the burdens that they held and would soon hold.

Shaking his black head, the man turned to his broad friend. "If I ain't mistakin', that be a girl with Lord Saris, Jak."

Jak's eyes widened. "A _girl_?" he breathed, shocked. "I thought he was bringun back some mercenary's from there, Rhys."

Rhys snorted and answered, "He did. That must be the older one's daughter. Must have caused a fuss when she found out that her father was coming back. Spoiled."

"Here they come," Jak said uneccessarily.

"I want you to feel welcome here, Lorena," Saris was saying as they approached the horses. "But we must make haste back to my estate. There are some pressing matters that I must take care of. It is there that I will answer any of the questions that you might have." He paused and smiled at her. "Welcome to Cairhein."

"Cairhein?" Lorena pronounced slowly. "Sounds a little Celtic, but no matter. I like it."

"That's enough chit-chat, people," Peeks interrupted. "We have a place to be and we must get there. Save it for the house."

Rhys frowned. Who did that old man think he was? Giving the Lord orders. He snorted again. He decided to ignore the old man and turned to study the female. He had missed her name, but she was at least put together well, if a little on the small side. And she was dressed in the oddest clothes. Of course it wasn't something that was all that strange because the women in the city were starting to wear breeches and carry swords. Maybe her odd garments were for riding. He shrugged and continued to study her.

Her brown hair was hanging loose, almost hitting her hips. She was wearing a white shirt tucked into some kind of heavy looking cotton breeches that molded to her body like a second skin. Her hips flared out from her small waist and tapered to a pair of long and muscled thighs and her calves were covered in dirt colored leather boots that tied to her knees. Across her shoulder was slung a weird looking black bag. He wondered what was in there.

Her face and skin was a bronzy color. Hetoyed with the ideaof her beingrelated to the Aiel. Her forehead was high, which said she was intelligent and graceful. Her eyes were spaced center in her face, surrounded by thick black lashes. The color of them seeming to shift with her expressions. One moment a startling shade of bluish-green and the next the color of sapphires. A straight and a trifle wide nose hung over her bow shaped upper lip. The bottom lip was plump, lush looking, the color of deep pink roses. Her cheekbones were large and made her look happy even when she wasn't smiling. Her jaw was a almost oval shaped with a square look to it. She was very stubborn it seemed.

He watched as she mounted and found her seat. At least she could ride, he thought. He didn't think he could handle a spolied little brat screaming to stop every hour so she could rest her hind end. He wanted to get back to the estate and a pint of something cool. He knew that matters weren't as they should be. Something was going on at the estate beyond his ken.

"Rhys?" Jak asked, reaching over to hit his friend's shoulder. When he saw that he had his attention, Jak smiled. "I thought something was making you sick. You had a look on your face."

"I'm fine, Jak. I see that our charges are ready to leave. Come, let's go home."

Lorena rubbed her lower back. They had been traveling for the past six hours with only one stop to water the horses and to get a drink themselves before mounting and continuing an almost breakneck speed back to Saris' estate. She could only wonder at the need to be back so fast. This world was unlike anything she had ever seen and she wanted to explore. Her curious nature was kicking in and not knowing what kind of creatures roamed this world, it probably wasn't a good idea.

She had been introduced to Saris' guards, Jak and Rhys. Good enough looking fighting men. She wondered if Jak worshipped Rhys. Lorena had seen the way that Jak seemed to go to Rhys for everything. Of course, they may be friends, she thought.

Lorena rubbed her lower back again. It was starting to hurt and she hoped they were camping soon. Just thinking about it made her excited. She hadn't been camping since her parents had died over seven years ago. It was then that she had to learn to live on her own and work to keep what she had. Her grandparents had taken her in after the wreck that had killed her mother and father. She had to have been ten or eleven. She remembered the sad and lonely days after the funeral. Her grandfather had decided to get her involved in the farm. She had spent seven years on the farm, before she graduated. Lorena couldn't afford tuition at the local college, so she had gotten a couple of jobs to pay for her education. She had majored in Computer Sciences and minored in book keeping.

Fat lot it had done her though. She had ended up working as an accountant for some bastard that thought the women in the pool were his to fish from. She had been next on his list. She shuddered. He was disgusting. Martin Grandy was married, had three kids, and a nice home. It was disgraceful the way he treated his wife. He was seen with various women around the office. It was surprising that she hadn't found out about it. When he had approached her, she had told him to kiss her ass. Later that day, she had been fired for inappropiate behavior. She then told the people in Human Resources about her supervisor and filed a harrassment suit with the company. Lorena wasn't sure if that was the thing to do, but he had made her so mad. The people in Resources had told her that her employment was still in effect but suspended until they investigated the claim. Lorena told them that they could contact her at home and left.

Jerking back to the present, Lorena realized they were slowing. She guided her horse to Saris and asked if they were stopping for the night. Telling her yes, Lorena groaned in relief.

"Thank God. My rear-end feels like on big bruise."

Laughing Donald teased her a little. "Been a while since you rode?" wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

"Pervert," Lorena shot back, sticking her tongue out. "I haven't ridden in four years. Give me another day in the saddle and I'll be fine."

"Sure," Donald grinned.

"Oh, shut up!" Lorena grinned back, kicking out with her foot to kick at him. She missed and the entire group started to laugh, even the guards.

"I take it that banter of this kind is normal?" Saris asked Leonard, dropping back to watch the girl and Donald pester one another.

"I'm just glad that she isn't freaking out. She seems to be taking this in stride," Leonard exclaimed. "And be glad that she hasn't lost her temper. I was thinking of making her my daughter."

"Your daughter? Leonard, I'm surprised. I thought you had no use for women?" Saris teased.

"I don't, Saris. But this girl has weakened my hard heart for once. I've watched her grow and become a woman to be reckoned with. Hell, man, she reminds me of me. What can I say?" Leonard sighed, throwing his hands in the air. "I want her to be my heir. Only she won't hold my long swordtitle. That will have to go to someone that can pick the damn long sword up and weild it properly. But she will have her bastard sword to see her through."

Saris nodded, but needed some things made clear to him. He didn't know much of Leonard's Order, but it did follow the Dragon's oath. "Can you tell me more about this Order of yours, Leonard?"

Leonard scratched his head and nodded. "Yeah, I guess." He shifted to find a better seat and continued. "As you know, the Holy Order of Dragon's Heart is a very old and secret society of weapons masters. Well, when it was established way back when, a dragon named Braz'th gave his heart to a dying warrior named Remu. Braz'th was young. He was very curious about humans and wanted to know of the human that lay dying at his feet. He had been banished from his clan by the Elders because of his curiosity and he had broken the rules of the clan by coming into contact with the local human population."

"After Remu regained his health, he was scared of the dragon. He tried to kill Braz'th, but soon realized that his life was tied to his own. So he stopped trying to kill the dragon and became his friend. They traveled the world and visited many a place that told of other dragons that had given their hearts to heal the dying warriors that caught their eye. So they traveled to each place that was rumored and found that dragons only gave their heart to their soulmate, whether it be male or female.

"Dragons are magic creatures by nature. They can create the necessary food items they need so they don't have to hunt when they think it unsafe. And very vain creatures. They decked themselves in jewels and gold. Braz'th himself had a small fortune, but he was only ayoung adult, so his collection had just started. The dragons are master jewelers in my world. Everything they create appeals to them and humans, that is when they get to see the dragon's finery and live to tell the tale," Leonard stopped, taking a sip from his water skin. He noticed that Lorena had dropped back to listen to his story.

"Anyway," he continued, "Braz'th had found his soulmate. So they wanted to find the others that had dragon hearts. After many years, Braz'th and Remu had found nine pairs of soulmates. Each dragon was different but the same. They all were curious about humans and had stumbled across a human that was horribly injured and dying. They had seen many like that in their lives, but had passed them by. Exceptfor the one time that a human's heart called to them. It wanted to live, but wasn't strong enough to do so. Itwanted to meld with the dragon's and become one with it, to give the world beauty and peace. The dragon would be caught in the beauty and wouldn't want the soul that guided that heart to die, so he or she would give half their heart to keep the soul that touched them deeply alive.

"The Holy Order of the Dragon's Heart was born from that day. Each of the nine was given a territory to study. Each of the soulmates were proficent with certain weapons. If they found students worthy of weapon's art, they were to take them in and teach them. After they had completed their training, they were to be taken to a dragon nest. Once there, the initiate was left there to fend for themselves. If a dragon came to them and gave them a their heart, then they were accepted as masters in that particular weapon artform. We are just four Masters in theway of the sword. Lorena here is our newest master." Leonard wound down, smiling at her.

Saris was fascinated, but he knew there was more. "Why do you still have the order when there are no more dragons? I thought they died out several hundred centuries ago."

Leonard nodded his head. "Well, that is what we want people to believe." He heard Lorena suck in her breath. "In remote parts of the world, dragons still roam. Lorena must perform her rite of passage when we return home. That is unless you have dragons here?"

Saris chuckled and motioned for the guards to pitch camp. "I haven't seen any dragons of lore, but there is a Dragon now," he said, the laughter leaving his voice.

"What do you mean, Lord Saris?" Lorena asked, using his title for the first time. "What do you mean _now_?"

Saris dismounted and thought about what to tell this group of weapons masters. Sighing, he knew that he would have to explain everything to them and to let them know why he chose them. It might make them want to go back home, but he was betting that they would stay. He wasn't going to say anything about Trisain testing the girl. They would eventually know.

"I'll explain when we get things settled for camp," Saris stalled.

"So this Rand al'Thor is the Dragon Reborn," Lorena mused, twirling a lock of her hair around a finger. "And he can control the One Power."

"Yes," Saris explained. "He controls _saidin_, the male half of the One Power and controls the Asha'men living in the Black Tower. The women, Aes Sedai, control _sadir_, the female half and are controlled by the White Tower and the Amrylin. And we are all fighting to keep this world from going insane. We are counting down the days to _Tarmon Gaidon_." While he was talking, he drew the symbols for the White and Black Towers.

"Yen-Yang," Lorena stated.

"What did you say?" Saris asked, looking up.

"Yen-Yang, the balance of opposites," Lorena explained, adding the opposing dots. "The male and female spirit. If one goes crazy, the other has to calm it and make it sane again. Kind of like your world," Lorena observed.

Saris thought of that for a moment. It made sense in a weird way, but it couldn't apply here. Just because of the parallels, no, it wasn't a basis for what he thought she was implying. He shook his head to clear it of the confusing thoughts.

He swept the dirt figures out and set about making the firepit. Rhys and Jak were out gathering the kindling and wood, so that just left the pit preperations and setting out the food they would be eating that night. Cold tack, but it wouldn't be a good idea to attract the roaming Trollocs.

"So," Lorena chirped, settling back on her rear and leaning back on her hands, "what is this place? I mean this world in general? Can you tell me more of this fear of the men that can cast magic?"

Rhys nearly dropped the load of wood he carried. Now why would she ask that of his lord? He knew about Lord Saris channeling, but it seemed that the girl was just thick-headed to even miss the obvious. He glanced over at Jak. He wasn't paying attention to the lord and his guests, so Rhys decided to ignore them himself. He would just keep an ear open for any more idiotic spoutings from the girl.

Saris thought over her question. He should explain about the Aes Sedai and Asha'men. Hell, he had been thinking of joining the Black Tower to hone his skills, but he didn't trust that Taim person at all. He didn't think that the Dragon Reborn did either. Of course, many thought that he was insane already. The story of his near taming was legend by now and especially after Daimon's Wells. It was a little sad really. He himself didn't think the al'Thor boy was insane, but lately some of his actions were indeed strange.

"My lady, the men of this world are looked upon with fear. It was after a hero named Lews Therin, the last Dragon, defeated the Dark One. The Dark One put a curse on any man that touched _saidin. _An evil curse, one that tainted the male half of the One Power for all eternity. Years later, male Aes Sedai wieliding the One Power, broke the balance and broke the world with their insanity.As a man controls the One Power he slowly loses his mind. He then does not recognize the people or things around him and destroys what he cannot recognize. To keep this from happening, the Aes Sedai send out a contigent of women to gentle the man that has been accused of using the One Power."

"Gentle?" she blinked, handing Saris a wine skin.

"Gentling is when the Aes Sedai take the man and still him," he explained, sipping from the skin, trying to hide the revulsion that coursed through him. He passed it around to the small group gathered around the small fire.

"Stilling is supposed to be like taking his use of the One Power away, right?" Lorena was getting just a little confused. It seemed that the women were a little quick to jump the gun. What if the man was sane?

"If he is still sane when he is gentled, he goes mad not being able to touch the One Power and dies. Many have died just by losing the ability to even sense _saidin_," Saris sighed, a frown forming on his brow.

He saw Lorena jump a little. Maybe she thought that he could read her mind, but he knew the next question. It was always asked. Had been when he had started to Gate to Earth years earlier. He and Leonard shared a knowing look.

"Enough for now. Let us eat and sleep. We will be upon my lands and in our rooms before the sun reaches it zenith on the morrow," Saris exclaimed, motioning for Jak to pass out the bread, cheese, and fruits they had brought along.

Everyone ate in silence at first. As the late afternoon progressed, stars dotted the heavens in bright blues, whites, and muted reds. Lorena looked above her head and didn't recognize any of the constellations. She wasn't really expecting any to be that way, but a tiny hint of homesickness hit her. She brushed it away and focused on being here with her friends. As the night wore on, the group started to joke and laugh. A moon rose, casting its bluish glow over the camp. Soon everyone lay down to sleep, leaving Jak to keep watch.

Lorena couldn't sleep. Her mind was abuzz with the sights she had seen. The heat had slackened as the night wore on, but was still repressive. The gravity of this world was slightly less than that of Earth and she felt lighter, an altogether strange feeling. Grit from the day rubbed against her skin and she felt very dirty and knew that she smelled a little gamey. There was a little stream nearby, maybe she could bathe. It would make her feel better.

Lifting the light blanket, Lorena slipped from her bedroll and gathered her sword and a small knife that they had used to cut the cheese at supper. She scanned the sleeping men, wondering if they were all asleep. She shrugged her shoulders. If she came to any harm, all she had to do was scream and the six men would come to help her. Since it was warm, she should dry off pretty quickly. Making her way silently to the stream, Lorena looked over her shoulder. None of the men moved and Jak was drifting in and out of slumber.

Smiling, she approached the bank and tested the waters. It was a little chilly, but would feel like heaven to her heated skin. Not wanting to scare the men or to give them any ideas, she stripped to her underwear, leaving her clothing near the waters edge so she could grab them quickly if she had to. Slipping into the water brought a little gasp of pleasure to her lips. It was just the right temperature. She waded just a little further out until the water hit just below her belly. The sand of the bottom dotted with little smooth pebbles as her feet found a good hold on the bottom.

The moon became brighter as it rose and bathed her in its light. Her bronzed skin, thanks to many hours outdoors, shown almost a dusky copper, water shining in crystal droplets on her arms and torso. The muscles in her arms were tight and glistening, the moon playing with the shadows of her biceps. She smoothed a hand full of water over her taut stomach, the infamous washboard of prime athletes, easing the soreness of the overtaxed muscles. Sighing in delight, Lorena sunk under the water and sat on the bottom of the stream for a moment, running her hands through the floating strands.

She felt the sand shift and rose to her knees, her head breaking the surface with barely a sound. She grab a handfull of sand and used it to wash the grime of the ride from herself. The grit lightly abrading her skin and making it sing in robust health. Lorena lifted another handfull and rubbed it over her shoulders and down her arms, leaving the little crystals blinking in the moonlight. Giggling, she shifted and let the water embrace her to her chin. She wished she could wash her hair, but it was damn hard to get sand out of one's hair. She would just have to be happy with this little bath.

Noticing the height of the moon, Lorena decided to leave her bath and dry off. Coming to her feet, she stepped from the water and sat on a nearby rock to dry. She looked back over her shoulder and noticed that Jak was fast asleep. Let him sleep, she thought. She wasn't tired and she would wake him when she returned to camp. She turned back and gasped.

Less than twenty feet away, a large black wolf glared at her. It was magnificent! She had not heard it approach and now it was staring at her with it's yellow eyes. Lorena dropped her gaze from the wolf's, but kept him in sight. She remembered from an old television program that if you stared into a wolf's eyes it considered you a threat. She watched the wolf watch her for a few minutes then it faded into the scrub brush.

Letting out her breath, she started to tremble a little. She had never seen a wolf in her life and it was exciting, yet a scary experience. She decided to return to camp and the safety of the fire.

Muscles screaming in pain, Lorena and the others dismounted in a large circular, shell covered courtyard. Servants came running from the large house and took the reins of the horses and took them off to the stables for a rub down and a nice treat. Lorena just wished that she could soak in a hot bath to ease the pain in her back and butt! She noticed that Rhys and Jak headed for a building that looked like a barracks. The house was huge. Steps led to the front entrance and was covered in some kind of white stone. The house looked to made from some kind of limestone or marble the shade of pale pink roses. Very little greenery was present, but it was hot as Hades. She shrugged and turned to Saris and Leonard. They were smiling at her.

"What?" she demanded a little grouchily.

Seth and Doanld guffawed and Leonard shook his head, still grinning. "Hurt a little?"

Lorena realized she was rubbing her posterior and stopped, a little blush tinging her cheeks. Lowering her eyes, she answered, "A little? I have muscles hurting that I forgot that I had!"

Saris chuckled and stepped foreward. "Please, come with me, my lady. I will show you to your room and have Trisain have a look at you. And you too, Seth."

"Gee thanks, Lord Saris," Seth grumped, his nose only slightly swelled, but red.

Before any more could be said, a rather flighty looking woman in yellow came barreling out of the house. She fairly flew down the steps and came at Saris in a snit. She was tall, very tall compared to Saris. Her blond hair was in braids and flew out behind her. Several bells and other ornaments tinkled from the ends of the braids. Her face was sharp and angular, but not unpretty. Her eyes were slightly tilted and the color of deep emeralds. Her dress clung to her frame and almost looked indecent. Almost. Three broken stripes of blue crossed her chest. Lorena wondered at them.

"Where have you been!?" she nearly screamed, her high-pitched voice sounding out like a banshee. "Do you know what has happened while you've been off?"

Saris caught her arms and pulled her close, kissing her nose. "What is it, Trisain, my heart?"

Trisain seemed to deflate. Her angry outburst brought down by a simple kiss. Lorena smiled and watched Saris' wife. Or at least she hoped it was his wife or girlfriend. Her face lit with a smile and made her beautiful. Lorena decided that she could really come to like this woman.

"Well, Sardis gave birth to twins. Twins! Then, Jobram broke his leg falling from the roof of his inn," she rushed, her voice risng into a squeak. She paused to catch her breath.

Saris smiled and asked, rather cheekily, "Is that all?"

Trisain glared at her husband and Warder. He had been gone for almost a week and he could only joke. Well, that was a man for you, she thought. "You know that is not all, husband."

Saris felt her urgency and excitement. She hadn't been this excited in a long time, not since the breaking of the White Tower. He knew she supported the rebels in Salidar and hoped that they desposed the Amrylin, Elaida. Something truly amazing must have happened in the last week.

"What is it?"

Trisain graced him with one of her blinding smiles. "The taint on _saidin_ is gone!"

"You jest!" Saris nearly dropped to his knees with hope.

"No, my heart! I do not. The Dragon Reborn and Nynaeve Sedai have helped to cleanse the taint. If you don't believe me, try it!" Trisain almost shouted. Realizing that there were others not known to her or to the servants, Trisain looked fearful, only Leonard's familiar face among the newcomers.

Saris held Trisain close. "It is alright, love. They would have figured it out eventually. No use hiding it now," he sighed.

He gathered his strength, prepared to fight the evil that swirled within _saidin_. He opened a small channel to the One Power and stepped into it. Not feeling the taint, he opened it further and created a Way to the trees in the distance. He reveled in the feeling of purity. Never again would he have to battle the evil hands that wanted to take him. Never would he have to fear that he would go insane and destroy the ones he loved. Knowing that he had held the Power for to long, he let it go, feeling lost as it fled his body.

Trisain smiled, tears coming to her bright eyes. She felt the joy flowing through her bond. She had feared that he would have eventually went insane and she would have had to have him gentled. If that had happened, then she would have killed herself. She didn't think that she could have stood his loss. It would have been as if she had been stilled. She shivered and shoved the dark thought from her mind.

She looked over the group that stood to the side. She saw wonder on two of the men's faces, the third smiling in happiness. He seemed to not care and was overjoyed for Saris. But caught her attention was the woman. She was young and seemed to know what she was doing. She was dressed strangely, but nothing that the noble women of the city weren't already affecting. Her eyes were intent on what Saris was doing, as if she could see what he was weaving with the One Power. Trisain was intrigued.

"If you have finished, husband, would you mind introducing me to your companions?" Trisain tilted her head toward the group.

"Forgive me, my friends. I am just a little overwhelmed at the moment, " Saris apologized, tears shining bright. He swiped at them and proceeded to introduce them to his wife. "Trisain Sedai, you have met Lord Leonard Peeks, Master of the Longsword and Katana, leader of the Holy Order of the Dragon's Heart and our good friend." Leonard stepped foreward and bowed. "This is Lord Seth Drago, Master of the Short Sword, second in command. He will need your services shortly. Lord Donald Williams, Master of the Pike and finally Lady Lorena Diar, Master of the Bastard Sword and heir to Lord Master Peeks." They all came foreward and bowed, Lorena curtsied.

"A female master of weapons?" Trisain wondered. "And heir to the Order? You, my dear child, are very talented." Trisain came up to her and then walked around her, noticing the black bag slung on her shoulder. "Is this your blade?" she asked, tapping it with a finger.

"Yes, ma'am," Lorena answered quietly, squirming just a little.

"May I see it? I have always been fascinated with swords and one that warrants a female to use is even more so," Trisain tittered, stepping away from the girl, a smile touching her lips.

Lorena shrugged the bag from her shoulder. "I guess so, my lady." She opened the bag, hearing the woman gasp. She could only wonder at her as she pulled the blade out and took the silk cloth to polish it.

Trisain could only stare. The sword was beautiful. But it was also powerful. She could feel the power humming in the silver and iron, could feel the power flowing through the scrollwork and figures gracing the blade. She wondered if the girl even realized what she held in her hand. She decided that Lorena Diar needed to be Tested right at that moment. It couldn't wait.

Trisain opened herself to the One Power and channeled. She wove a small spell that would give her a mild headache, Weaving strands of Spirit and Earth together, forming a glowing ball of sickly green light. She wasn't evil and knew that she could call back the Weaving if the girl showed the slightest amount of pain. She was just to tenderhearted for her own good. That was why she chose the Yellow Ajah. She couldn't stand the thought of any living thing hurting.

Lorena halted her work. She felt a shifting of something. Something she couldn't identify. It seemed to be coming from around Trisain. She looked up and nearly dropped her sword. She almost dropped herself. A ball of puce light was forming in front of the woman and an aura of golden light surrounded her. She seemed to be weaving, weaving?, a silver and brown material that came from the air and the ground into the ball. She was a little frightened. It was one thing to watch Saris perform his magic, but Trisain was another matter. But, she recalled, Saris had introduced her as Trisain Sedai.

Not knowing why Trisain was forming the ball, Lorena felt something shift in her. She was all of a sudden surrounded in something that felt good. She didn't want to leave it. It wrapped warm arms around her and held her close. It made her feel safe. She noticed that Trisain was staring at her. She lifted her arm and saw that she was covered in the same glow.

Not really knowing what she was doing, Lorena attempted to copy Trisain. She studied the way she weaved the strands to make the puce ball. She carefully wove the strands together, not wanting to overdo it. She sensed that Trisain was backing down, releasing the woven ball and letting the aura leave her. She seemed to miss that aura. Lorena released hers and felt a disappointment at losing the warm glow.

"Trisain?" Saris questioned, touching his wife's arm. "Trisain?"

"Take the men to their rooms, my love. I have business with Lady Lorena," Trisain said a little coldly. Feeling hurt and rejection pour through the bond, Trisain smiled at her husband. "I am sorry, but this is between us women, husband."

With that, Trisain herded a protesting Lorena into the house still holding her sword.

Leonard came up to Saris. "What was all that about?"

Saris shook his head. "I am not really sure. I know that Trisain was Testing her somehow. I felt her get all excited and then a little scared, then more excitement." He smiled at his friend and said, "Not to worry though, Trisain may be a little pushy, but she means well. She won't hurt Lady Lorena, I hope."

"You hope?" Leonard nearly shouted, starting after the two women.

Saris started to snicker, then laugh. He watched as Leonard spun back around.

"I swear, I'm going to get you for that, you old goat!" came Leonard's angry voice.

Saris laughed harder and was joined by all those that had witnessed the Aes Sedai's Testing.


	3. Violet

A/N - Sorry for some confusion. In the beginning of Chapter 2, Rhys is supposed to comment on the cooler weather and the coming of the winter weather promised by a previous storm the week before. For some reason, THAT edited version seems to have been misplaced or erased from my memory files. Oh, well. 

As the 11th book won't be out for some time, things are pretty much open for debate on how things in Randland will be played out. I will take this as a good thing. Things will be slightly different as this is an A/U. .; I will not mess with the cannon characters...much. As always, I do not own any part of the WoT, just the characters that I dream up.

Enjoy the rest of the story.

(a) (a) (a) (a)

Do Not Go Gently

Chapter 3

Violet

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Trisain was giddy. It had been years since she had come across a wilder. Salidar needed girls of her power and abilities, but first she needed to know more about this Lady Lorena Diar, Master of the Dragon's Heart. She was intriguing, this girl. She could have sworn that Lorena has never before seen the power of sadir. But the way that she had taken it up and copied her headache weave made Trisain wonder. She wondered what other powers that the girl kept hidden.

Dragging the girl down the vaulted hallway of the family wing of the house, Trisain scanned each room as she passed it. Rooms for sitting, sewing, painting, and other various purposes flew by in her search. Cursing under her breath, Trisain finally came to rest inside her and Saris' bedroom suite. She shooed the maids cleaning the room away and called for refreshments and a light lunch to be served in the dining hall in an hour. Curtsies and mumbled my lady's followed the girls out.

Trisain turned back to Lorena. In her rush to get the girl to herself, she had not noticed the girl still held her sword. At the look of total astonsihment on Lorena's face, Trisain's laughter spilled from her smiling lips. Lorena was a little pale, her face held an expression of wonder and shock. She stood in the middle of the sitting room with her shoulders drooping. In fact it looked as if the girl was about to faint. Concerned now, Trisain set her onto a settee and wove a small weave of Spirit, Water and Earth to check on the girl's health.

Lorena was amazed that they had stopped. After trying to get Trisain's attention, Lorena had just kept quiet and tried to keep up. Trisain was fast, really fast. It had taken nearly all her attention to keep up. She had noticed very little of the myriad of hallways and rooms that had flown by. She had seen some people, servants or guards she wasn't sure, flash by. She ahd noticed tables with vases full of yellow and red roses.

But very little else did she notice until they had come to a screeching halt in, she was guessing, Trisain's suite of rooms. The room was very pretty and light. Various shades of yellow and blue seemed to catch the eye. A splash of blue patterns on yellow window hangings on one wall of the room, yellow fringe on a blue divan with creamy butter yellow pillows piled on it, and even yellow and blue swirls, loops and knots, dotted the mantel of a huge fireplace that dominated on another wall. Sevreal tables with the yellow and red roses lined the wall and the longer and wider table stationed in the middle of the room and faced with two white sofas again piled with the creamy yellow pillows and ice blue ones, as well.

She was trying to catch her breath when Trisain started to laugh then set her down one of the beautiful blue settees that faced the sofas. She felt the shift again and saw that Trisain was glowing again. She watched and memorized the weave that she created, not knowing that she had shifted into sadir until she felt the warms arms again. She felt an icy shock as the little white knotted ball went into her body. She could feel the tendrils of the weave unknot and drift away, tickling her and making her smile.

All of a sudden she felt refreshed and very hungry. Her stomach growled in agreement. Looking up at Trisain with an apologetic smile, Lorena stood. "Thank you, Lady Trisain. It seems that you are a healer of some sort. Am I right?" Lorena asked, setting her sword down to lean on the settee.

Trisain was a little taken aback, but answered, "Yes, Lady Lorena. I am of the Yellow Ajah. We are the healers of the Aes Sedai. How did you guess that?"

Lorena smiled warmly at the woman, "It was the feeling of the weave. It seemed to find the problem and tickled it out of existence."

"Tickled?" Trisain puzzled.

"Yes, my lady, it tickled. When the weave entered my body, I could feel it loosen and spread it's tendrils throughout my body. I could even feel it when it touched the places that needed to be healed and they felt much better. Even the bruises of our ride are healed," Lorena stopped and tilted her head with a little smile. "I take it that hunger is a side effect of the Healing?"

Trisain giggled. This girl was more than just a wilder. She was a born Aes Sedai, if ever she saw one. "That is right, my lady. Hunger is just a small side effect. For larger Healing weaves, sleep is the main effect. It takes a lot for the body to regain the energy used to help Heal itself. That is why I had the lunch prepared. It will be light, but it should serve your needs for the moment."

Lorena listened and understood what she was talking about. It was an unspoken rule that most patients in the hospitals were better off with just rest. When the body goes into it's resting state, the various things wrong with it were slowly repaired and fixed. Energy production was at it's maximum when the body was sleeping and the sub-concious took over. If the sleep period was pleasent then a body would be more energized and relaxed; but if the body was put through an un-pleasant rest period, then it would have spent the restoring energy deposits fighting off the nightmare illusions that the sub-concious manufactured.

"Now," Trisain interrupted Lorena's reverie, "I would like to know how you came to be able to weild the One Power."

"Me?" Lorena asked, amazed. "Weild the One Power? You mean when you were doing all that weaving you were holding the One Power?"

Trisain smiled a little. "Yes, my lady. When I Tested you in the courtyard, you answered back very swiftly. You even copied my Weave perfectly. How did you do that by the way?"

Lorena shrugged her shoulders. "I saw what you were doing. I could see a silver thread coming from the air and a brown thread coming from the earth and forming that ball. I felt the shift when you used the One Power, sadir, and I followed the shift. I felt the arms of sadir close around me. It was like being in my father's arms again. After that, I followed what you were doing."

"Could you tell what Saris was doing when he channelled?" Trisain threw out.

"I couldn't when we were at home, but once we came here, I could feel a different kind of shift with him. It felt really funny. It seemed to come from my stomach and work it's way up to my head. It gives me goose bumps to feel him to that, but in a good way. With sadir, it starts in my heart ans warms my whole body." Lorena explained, wondering if it was the same with Trisain.

Trisain nodded her head. She had heard of those that could see the Weaves perfectly and copy them to the last thread. Obviously this girl had been a very alert and maybe in her world, was hyper-sensitive. She could feel a shifting when a woman went into sadir. It was very uncommon and she didn't know of any Aes Sedai living that could feel the shift. She had heard that Rand al'Thor could tell when a woman channelled, but had yet to know of any woman that could tell when a man channelled. It would be a great asset to have when Tar'mon Gai'den arrived for the Forsaken would be present.

"My dear, I would like to ask you a question," Trisain exclaimed, a sudden idea coming to her. "Would you consider becoming an Aes Sedai? We need all the women we can gather. The Hall of the Tower is calling for all wilders and Kinswomen no matter how powerful or puny their affinity to sadir is."

"What is the Hall of the Tower, Lady Trisain?" Lorena asked, wondering if it might not be a good idea. "And why are they gathering so many women together?"

Trisain had wandered to one of the sofas and patted the place next to her. Lorena came and sat next to her and sat back waiting on Trisain's answer.

"Well, Lady Lorena, it has come down to a split in the White Tower. The Amrylin Elaida deposed of Suian Sanche and had her stilled for some trumped up charges. She then had most of Suian's followers demoted or in the case of her Keeper, stilled. As a result, the Accepteds Egwene al'Vere, Nyneave al'Meara, and Elayne Trakand were hunted. They had started out on a mission for Suian, but soon were running for their very lives.

"You see, Elaida was the advisor for Queen Morgase of Andor. She started to plot and weasel her way into the Daughter Hier's good graces. You see, Elayne is the Daughter Heir to Andor. Every woman that has held that throne has been sent to the Tower for Testing to see if she could become Aes Sedai. Most proved to have very little ability with the One Power, but Elayne was proven to hold a vast amount of power. Elaida was thrilled. If she could cajole the girl to her own Red sisters, then she would have a puppet to put on the Lion Throne. But it seemed that things were out of her control.

"When Elayne met with the Edmond's Field girls, Egwene and Nyneave, she was also introduced to Rand al'Thor, Perrin Ayabara, and Mat Cauthon, all ta'vern. They could shape the Weave of the World around them. Sometimes, monsters would attack a place after they left, or in one case, weddings. It wasn't known then that Rand was the Dragon Reborn. It was after Suian sent the girls out to find the boy did he become the Dragon Reborn.

"For this, Elaida wanted the Daughter Heir back. She knew that the girl was in love with Dragon Reborn and wanted to capture him. If she could control the Dragon Reborn, then she could control how the world would shape itself. For this reason, many of the Aes Sedai left the Tower. She keeps her followers close and hardly lets them leave the Tower. She is afraid that she will lose the power that she took from others."

Trisain paused and reached for a carafe of water and poured two glasses, handing one to Lorena. With a look of thanks, Lorena drank hers down, grimacing at it's warm taste, but reveling in the sweet purity. She finished and waited on Trisain to finish her tale. Trisain drank deeply and set her glass aside. She noticed that Lorena was patiently waiting for her to continue and obliged.

Clearing her throat, Trisain continued to fill Lorena in on why the Tower was split and how the Hall of the Tower was established. She even told the girl about the war that the Amrylin Egwene was launching to take back the Tower, something that she had not told her husband. Because he would tell her that she could not go and help, that she was needed here. She could even now feel him somewhere in the house, possibly sitting in one of the drawing rooms entertaining their guests or out at the stables or parade ground. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

Lorena thought over Trisain's offer. She wasn't sure what she could do to help out the Hall, but she didn't know if she should even stick her nose into it. There could be events that could bring the whole war between the Aes Sedai to a fate that could destroy this world's beliefs. But then again, there was a dark power out on this planet that wanted to destroy these people for no reason than to make the world his to play with. Lorena was sure that the Dark One was responsible for the split in the Tower. And she knew that someone or something was helping him do it.

"Lady Trisain, how is it that you are here and not with the Hall or for that matter, the Tower?" Lorena pondered.

Before Trisain answered, the door to her suite flew open. Lorena jumped and dove for her sword, rolling and coming to her feet, the designed blade up and ready. A man, tall and lean, with a face like a hawk strode in. He was wearing a black doublet slashed with the same broken blue slahes that Trisain wore and black riding pants with soft looking black boots. Flashing from his throat was a small curved sword and a dragon. Against his hip rested a sword. If Lorena was correct, it contained a long sword. She looked up and up into a pair of violet colored eyes. They were silently assesing her as she was him. He was handsome and reminded her of Trisain.

"Mother," his deep voice rumbled from his chest, "who is your little bodyguard? And where did you get her? She reminds me of an Aiel, but they don't use swords nor are they this short."


	4. Kiss of the Little Dragon

Do Not Go Gently 

Chapter 4

Sword Master

(a) (a) (a) (a)

Trisain had gone white at the her son's entrance. She had not heard him approach nor even that he was home. She guessed that the time that he had spent in the Black Tower was helping him come to terms with his power. She noticed that he was wearing the Asha'man uniform and sighed when she saw his house markings. At least they hadn't made him forget who he was.

"Ian, I had not known that you were home," Trisain exclaimed, neatly setting herself between Lorena and him. "May I introduce Lady Lorena Diar, Master of the Sword and Leonard's heir."

Ian snorted. "Her? He's making her the heir to his Order?"

Lorena had nearly dropped her sword when Trisain had called this man her son. Trisain couldn't be more than thirty and this man was near that age himself. But upon hearing him make fun of her, she bristled. She hadn't been challenged like that in years. For one reason, she had won the repsect of the men that she practiced with; and second of all, she wasn't a pleasent person when pissed off.

"And what, pray tell, are you laughing about?" Lorena ground out, her eyes shifting to a midnight blue.

Ian was fascinated with the girl. She was small, but taller than his father. She did look like an Aiel with her skin and coloring, but she talked with the inflections of a different people. He couldn't place her accent but it seemed to drawl on certain words and he found it rather appealing.

She was a contrast of what he normally found in women. For one, she was wearing breeches, boots, and a dirty white shirt. The next odd thing about her was the way that she held her sword. It seemed to be different from the ones that he normally ran across, being shorter and broader. It was also designed with scrollwork and knots, figures, crosses and jewels. It was simple but deadly, and very elegant in her hands. Which, he noticed, were adorned with only four simple rings. One her left, she wore a small knotwork band that rested just below the first knuckle of her pinky finger and a silvercross on her ring finger. On the right hand, she wore a wave design, almost like the _Aeth'en Meire_ symbol for water, just under the first knuckle of her pinky and a ring with knot work and a simple dark purple stone set in the center on her ring finger.

Ian realized that he was staring and smiled disarmingly at the girl, for she couldn't have been more than nineteen or so. "Forgive me, my lady. I meant no offense."

This time Lorena snorted. "Pull the other one, Ian."

Ian looked puzzled. "Pull the other what?"

Lorena rolled her eyes. "I mean don't make me laugh. I know what was running through your head. I've come across it's kind before. Just don't try to make it look better than what you wanted to say. Either say it or keep your mouth shut." Lorena glared at the first person to make fun of her in this world.

Trisain stood back and watched. It would do Ian some good to be shot down by the girl. She had spolied the boy awfully, she was afraid. She just hoped that his temper wouldn't over heat.

Ian sputtered, "Keep my mouth shut! Who do you think you are, little girl?"

Lorena stood straight and proud and answered, "I am Lorena Diar, Master of the Bastard Sword and Heir to the Holy Order of the Dragon's Heart. And just who do you think you are?" She threw him a haughty stare and dared him to take another jab at her.

Ian drew up to his full height and glared back. "I am Ian Dornamor, Asha'man of the Black Tower and heir to Lord Saris Dornamor and Lady Trisain Sedai. That is who I am, you impertinent snip."

Lorena growled low in her throat. "Snip? Snip!" She uncounciously slipped into a fighting stance, her hands finding a better grip on her sword hilt.

"Yes. Snip. You can't be more than nineteen at the most," Ian commented, unconcerned.

"Nineteen?" Lorena breathed, losing the will to fight at the absurdity. "I hate to tell you, Lord High and Mighty, but I happen to be twenty-four."

Ian's mouth nearly dropped open. She was how old? he thought. "You have to be jesting. You can't be four and twenty. When did you stop growing?" He threw that last one in just to see her get all wound up.

Trisain, seeing that Ian's jabs were making the girl upset, stepped in. "That will be enough, Ian. You are making yourself look an ass in front of our guest. Apologize to the lady."

"But..." he started.

"Now, mister, or I will have your rear-end bared and beat you with a hazel switch!" Trisain threatened, glaring at her spoiled brat of a son.

Ian made a sour face and turned to the girl. He noticed that she was leaning a hip on the sofa behind her, her sword bouncing up and down on her shoulder. She looked almost like a cat with the cream still on its' lips. He mumbled his apology and turned to leave. He vowed to get back at her. Somehow.

"Will you be here for a few days, my son?" Trisain asked before he left the room.

Ian looked back over his shoulder at his mother. "Yes, Mother. I have finished my training. The Dragon will be calling for us in a short time and duringthat time, I will be looking for more men to recruit for the Black Tower. But until I am called back, I will be helping Father with the estate."

Trisain smiled brightly at her son. "That is good to hear, Ian. Your father would love to have you back at his side. He has missed you so."

Lorena watched patiently as the mother and son exchanged a few more words before he left. She was curious to know how Trisain could have a son that old and be that young.

When the doors to the suite were closed, Lorena asked, "How old are you, my lady? I would not have guessed you much past your early thirties."

Trisain chuckled and explained, "When Aes Sedai work with the One Power for many years, it slows the aging process. Saris will become the same after a time. As it is, he has retained his youthful face if not his once black hair. But to answer you, I am just under my sixtieth winter."

"Sixty years?" Lorena breathed. "How old is Ian then?"

"He is eight and twenty. He is our only child," Trisain said sadly. Seeing the compassion in Lorena's eyes, she smiled. "After he was born, a Yellow Sister told me that due to some complications during the delivery, I was unable to give birth again."

Lorena understood and didn't press for details. Her mother had only been able to produce one child in the eleven years she was married due to a tilted womb and guessed that was the reason of Trisain's own condition.

"Enough for now, my dear. It is time for lunch and I am sure that Leonard is about to go crazy with worry," Trisain tittered, motioning for Lorena to follow her.

"Please, my lady, call me Lorena."

"The you must call me Trisain then."

Both of the women smiled and left the airy room for some well deserved refreshment.

(a) (a) (a) (a)

Saris was escorting the men back from their rooms. He had shown Seth and Donald around his stables and parade grounds, knowing that they would need to practice to keep up with their craft. He and Leonard had then shown the boys, for they weren't much over their majority, the Lord's Parlor and had shared in a glass of wine. He wouldn't touch the hard stuff. It made him sick.

Menron came bustling in and announced that lunch was being served in the rear gardens. Saris motioned for the party to take their goblets with them and proceeded them to the gardens. As they left the parlor and made their way through the vaulted white, gold, and blue painted hallways, Saris imparted comments on the situation that the world was in at the moment. Finally reaching the garden, Saris smiled.

Standing lazily against the stone terrace surrounding the marble porticio, was his son and heir. He seemed to be brooding about something, with his forfinger tapping against his lower lip. Saris noticed that he was wearing the sword and dragon and nearly wept in joy. At last, his son was an Asha'man. He had been gone for several months now and it was good to have him back. He wondered how long he was at home for.

"Ian, my son!" Saris exclaimed, rushing to his son's side. He hugged him fiercely and smiled up at him. "How long are you home for?"

Ian hugged his father back and grinned. His parents were at least affectionate. He loved them dearly and wouldn't know what to do if they were gone. He looked over his father's shoulder and smiled. He saw his old friend and teacher, Leonard Peeks. He distangled himself from Saris' arms and went to Leonard and hugged him.

"I will be home until I am called back. But it is good to see you, Leonard. Who are you friends here?" Ian nodded toward Seth and Donald, who were fidgeting.

Leonard chuckled and turned to his fellow masters. "The short one with the broken nose is Lord Seth Drago, Master of the Short Sword and the taller one is Lord Donald Williams, Master of the Pike." He heard Seth growl low in his throat at being called short, but let it pass. Donald came forward and shook Ian's hand. Reluctantly, Seth followed suit. "Have you seen your mother, my boy?" Leonard asked with a little worry creeping into his voice.

Ian grimaced, but replied, "Yes, unfortunately. Her and that little brat of an heir of yours."

Saris was a little surprised. Lorena must have stepped all over his son's pride, especially if he came off with his natural arrogant attitude. He sighed and wondered where the women were at.

Leonard hooted in laughter and saw Ian's face go sour. "Don't feel bad, Ian. Lorena is a hellion, but she's all soft on the inside."

Ian raised an eyebrow at that and snorted. "And I'm one of the Foresaken."

Saris punched his son in the arm. "What did you do, Ian?"

"Do?" Ian looked a little guilty.

"Either tell me or I'll get your mother to tell me," Saris threatened.

"Well, I went into your sitting room and I was attacked by Lady Lorena," Ian explained.

"Attacked?" Leonard nearly hooted.

"Well, she held her sword on me. Then I made a comment and she tried to take my head off," Ian grouched, glaring at the old man.

"Tried to take your head off? With what? Her sword or her tongue?" Leonard asked, smiling hugely.

Ian glowered and spit out, "Her tongue. I called her small and um...I kind of made fun of her being your heir."

Saris, Leonard, Seth and Donald all looked at one another. Soon all four of them were nearly rolling on the marble in fits of laughter. It would do some good to have the boy shot off the high pedastal that he had put himself up on. He thought himself a woman's gift and tried to get under any female skirt that he thought pretty enough to grace his presence. And it seemed that Lorena was doing a right good job of it on her first day.

"I don't think it's that funny," Ian groused. "Mother even threatened to thrash me with a hazel switch."

"Son, I wouldn't cross your mother. She can be very scary at times," Saris gasped out, trying to catch his breath.

"What is all that racket? It sounds as if there is an army of mules out here," Trisain's voice cut through the dying laughter. She guided a smiling Lorenapast the group of men and on to the table and chairs situated on the porticio.

"My dear, our son was telling us of his misadventure in our apartments," Saris chuckled, coming to her side and helping her into her chair. "You threatened him, love?"

Trisain blinked a few times before she answered. "Well, he was being a royal pain. He insulted our guest."

Lorena giggled and declared, "I think it was well taken care of though. Trisain is very handy with her tongue as well as Healing."

Leonard and the others joined the women at the table and sat. Trisain finally had a chance to look over the group. When her eyes landed on Seth, she nearly lost her temper.

Jumping up from her chair and nearly knocking her husband to the ground, she reached Seth's side andgrabbed his head in her hands. He cried out in surprise and almost lost his head in the woman's iron grip.

"Mother, you are going to twist his head off if you keep turning it that way," Ian remarked, placing a napkin in his lap.

"Why wasn't he brought to me sooner?" Trisain ground out, glaring at the assembled men. As far as she was concerned it was their fault.

Leonard cleared his throat and offered, "Well, you were a bit taken with Lorena at the time, Trisain."

Trisain pinned Leonard with a look that could have burned him to his bones. "That is not important. You still should have told me." She allowed Seth to get comfortable before she asked him, "How did you break your nose, my lord?"

Seth blushed and mumbled under his breath.

"What was that, my lord?" Trisain queried.

"Lorena broke my nose," Seth nearly shouted.

Ian nearly spit out the wine he was drinking. That slip of a female did that to him? He was a master of the sword. How was the girl able to break his nose?

"And how did she do that?" Trisain asked, more intrigued on how Lorena had been able to take a on a man twice her size.

"Well, we were testing her, Donald and I. We came up behind her and she sensed us. She shattered Donald's pike and dove away. She taunted us and instead of slipping to the side, like I thought she would, she stepped into me and smashed my nose. As I was surprised, she swept Donald's feet out from under him. She then grabbed my face, swept my feet out from under me, and chased after my fallen sword. To be quite honest," Seth said appreciatively, "Lorena is one of the fastest swordmen that I know of."

Ian had listened intently. Maybe he had misjudged her, but he doubted that she could best him. Leonard had taught him the long sword and was a master in it's use. After lunch, he would ask the girl to show him what she knew.

Lunch was delicious and the group decided to sit back and relax. They deserved it after the long ride they had endured. It wasn't long before Ian challenged the girl in front of the group. Trisain started to protest, but Saris stopped her with a shake of his head. He conveyed through thoughts what this meant to a Sword Master. Trisain stood and marched to the parade grounds. She glanced back to make sure that the others followed her. Her skills might be needed.

(a) (a) (a) (a)

Lorena wasn't surprised at the challenge. She had insulted him and he wanted revenge. She carried her sword over her shoulder, not sure if her bag was still in the courtyard or in her room. Trisain still had yet to show her to her room. Lorena was tired and her food was almost digested. It would be good to take the braggart down. He had been making rude comments to her throughout the meal and masked them in polite conversation.

Coming onto the field, Lorena stretched her arms over her head, loosening the muscles of arms and back. She crouched down and stood back up. She did this several more times to warm her legs up. Finding a rail along one side of the parade ground, she propped a foot on it and stretched her thighs and lower back. After this she rolled her head around her shoulders to loosen the stiff muscles of her neck.

Leonard and the others chose spots among some bales of hay, getting comfortable and waiting for the challenge to begin. Ian had stood watching the girl stretch. He had smiled and wondered at her antics. He could understand her loosening her arms and back, but why her legs?

Lorena stepped onto the field and bowed to Ian. She had a smiled playing about her mouth. She wondered if he was as good as he thought he was. No matter, she would know in just a few short minutes. She waited patiently as Ian finished his bow and went on guard.

Keeping her light sapphire eyes glued to Ian's violet ones, Lorena moved into her first form, _Dragonness on Alert_, shifting her left leg back and slightly to the side, her sword, held out from her body a few inches, pointed at the ground. She saw Ian's eyes shift. He was probably wondering at her stance. In a blink of an eye, Ian charged, his long sword trailing behind him. Lorena knew his game. She had seen the way he had shifted his footing and the style. It was one of Leonard's long sword techniques. She grew a little worried, but waited for Ian to jerk the sword forward.

On cue, Ian jerked the sword forward, trying to cut into her left thigh. Lorena slid to the right into _Shifting Shadow_, raising her sword and taking a short jump forward, coming in behind Ian as he overshot her. Lorena immediately went into _Lifting the Dragon_. She dove for the ground as Ian swung the long sword around to take her in the side, lifting her sword to block, rolling and coming to her feet, in one smooth motion. She then went into _Dancing on the Dragon's Wing_, circling Ian, coming in for a swift strike before dancing away from his blade.

When she saw her chance, Lorena gave Ian the _Kiss from the Little Dragon_. It was a move that was a little underhanded, but all her own. Ian was trying to find a way into her defenses and was hard pressed to find one. Lorena taunted him with her sword and waited, smiling.

Ian, seeing her drop her guard, rushed in, not caring that he was leaving himself open. The girl had danced away from his every thrust and swing. He had barely missed being knocked out with a sword to the head. She was like water and air. She was like smoke. She knew what he was doing and it was irritating him. When he saw her drop her guard he nearly crowed in triumph. Maybe she was tiring. Ian knew he had made a mistake the moment she stepped into his charge. He tried to stop, but it was to late.

Lorena stepped into Ian and swept her right foot into his pounding feet. His left foot became entangled with hers and he went down. Lorena shifted into _Dragon in Repose_, sliding away from the falling man, grabbing the dropped long sword, and kneeling by his side. She gave him the _Gift from the Dragon_, her sword pointed at his heart and his sword in her hand.

"Do you yeild, my lord?" Lorena asked, coming to her feet, and keeping well away from Ian's arms and legs.

"I yeild, my lady," Ian replied. He was still reeling over his defeat. He was rarely beaten and this girl had done it with very little effort. Burn it, she was hardly sweating.

Lorena bowed to him and knelt into _Homage for a Dragon_, holding hit sword out to him. "You are indeed a great swordsman, my lord."

Ian took his sword and bowed to Lorena. "As are you, my lady. May I ask what form you were using?"

Lorena stood and brushed off the dirt and debris from her jeans. "It is the _Dragon's Heritage_. Something that I created over the years as Leonard's pupil. I see that he taught you the _Tiger_ form."

Ian smiled. "Is that how you were able to stay out of my reach?"

Lorena chuckled and answered, "Yes, my lord. I have seen Leonard perform the same form and he has used it on me. Unfortunately, I was never able to beat him. But that is because I never used _Kiss from the Little Dragon_."

"Is that what you call that foot sweep, Lorena?" Leonard called out, coming up to the talking couple. "You used it one Seth and Donald, too. Very cute."

Lorena blushed and bowed to her master. "I am sorry, Master."

"No need to be sorry. It was brillant. That whole form was beautiful to see. There were some moves that I have never seen. You have been busy, my child," Leonard said, kissing the blushing girl. "You are worthy of being my daughter."

Leonard held her shoulders and gazed into her deep sapphire eyes. Her eyes were starting to tear as were his own. "Yes, Lorena Diar. You are my daughter. I have been waiting to call you my own for some time now. I know that I can never replace your parents, but would you be willing to have this old goat as your surrogate?" Leonard's eyes spoke more than his words ever could.

Lorena could only smile as tears poured from her eyes. She had thought of Leonard as more of a father as the years went on. He was always there for her and pushed her to do better. He was always telling her that she needed to quit her job and move on and become a full time instructor for him. Now it wouldn't be necessary. She would be by his side until he got tired of her.

"Of course, Father," Lorena cried, tossing herself into his arms.


	5. Nightmares

Do Not Go Gently 

Chapter 5

Nightmares

(a) (a) (a)

After the impromptu demonstration, everyone agreed that the thing they needed most at the moment was rest. Trisain ushered Lorena to her room as Saris escorted the men to their sleeping quarters. Everyone said their goodbyes and went on their way.

Being able to view the large estate house without things blurring, Lorena exclaimed over the Renaissance look of the decor. Trisain beemed and thanked Lorena, explaining that she and Saris were crazy about things from her world. Granted she had only been once or twice, but she had enjoyed it. Except, she explained, for the noisy vehicles, the smell and over-crowding of the cities. Lorena could understand it.

Reaching a large black oak door, banded in gold metal with broken blue stripes streaking across it's surface, Trisain gestured for Lorena to open it and step inside. Smiling at her hostess, Lorena opened the door . A short hall, it's exit shrouded in sapphire gauze, opened into a small sitting room. Backless chairs made of some kind of cherry colored wood, were padded with silver pillows. A large divan, silver in color, was angled near a bank of windows shadowed by heavy velvet, midnight blue curtains. Two small end tables of the same cherry wood stood on either side of a small sofa as well as a low table in front of it. One or two other tables were set around the rooms' perimeter. The colors were warm and eye catching. A deep royal blue with silver paisley designs, graced the walls in swirling patterns.

To the right of the windows, facing the divan, was a small fireplace, though elegant. Made of white marble, it was very detailed in it's design. Jasmine curled and seemed to grow all over the sides and lintel of the mantel. The detail was astounding. Even the hearth was edged in jasmine flowers. A long silver and blue twined velvet rope hung from the celing. Lorena guessed it was the bell pull.She could only smile and breathe in awed silence. The room was beautiful.

Trisain pointed out another black oak door, this time banded in silver metal, behind the divan and half hidden in deep spahhire gauze. Lorena sighed as she came into the simple bedroom. A large bed that looked soft, was on her left, draped in silver bed curtains. The counterpane was midnight in color and at the foot looked to be a bear skin. A brazier stood in one corner of the room and a small dressing table on the other side of the bed. To her right was another bank of three windows, again draped in blue. A wardrobe closet was set across from the bed, the door set between two side tables with vases of jasmine gracing them. Inside and further back was the bathroom and another small door. Lorena opened it and found that it held a short hallway. Curious, she inspected it to find that it led back to the main hallway. Trisain explained about the need for privacy. She also showed Lorena the way to lock the room so that no one could come in that she didn't want in.

Sighing in exhaustion, Lorena made her way back to the bedroom and plopped on the bed. Her head felt heavy and her eyes itched with sleepiness. Trisain, seeing this, made her farewells.

"Wait, Trisain," Lorena called.

Trisain turned and asked, "What is it, dear?"

"It's been bothering me and I need to ask, it might be a little rude, but I need to know," Lorena hedged, swinging her feet like a toddler and staring at them. "Why is Saris so...sane? I would have thought that with the taint on _saidin_, that he would have been a little wonky by now."

Trisain smiled and came to sit beside the small woman. "He very rarely uses the One Power. He discovered it when he was in his late twenties and found his gift for making Gates. He didn't want the Tower to know, so he hid his power. He first used the Power to Gate to your world during the Aiel War. He brought back Leonard and a few others. Since that time, Saris has kept a place in both worlds." Trisain explained.

"But how? How does he make the Gate? And how did he discover my world?" Lorena wanted to know, looking up at the taller woman, questions brimming in her turquoise colored eyes.

Trisain chuckled and stood, pushing a stray strand of hair from Lorena's face. "Enough, child. You must rest. Tomorrow you can ask Saris all you want."

Sighing, Lorena smiled up at Trisain. "Alright, my lady. When should I be ready for supper?"

"I'll have a tray brought to you. You will probably sleep right through the night, so just ring when you are ready for it to be brought up. Also, I will have some clothes prepared for you." Trisain said as she sailed from the room. "Greens, blues, silvers, and reds. Yes, that should do it," she mumbled as she closed the door.

Lorena just sat there, to tired to argue with the woman. She noticed her pack sitting on the bed and dug into it. She really needed to take a bath, but she was just to boneweary. Pulling a t-shirt and a pair of boxers out, Lorena changed and buried under the covers. Almost purring in content, she snuggled up to the fluffy pillows. Not two minutes later, Lorena was fast asleep.

(a) (a) (a)

Colors flashed in the black blanket of nothing. Shapes flew around her. She heard the screeching of tires behind her. Whirling, she witnessed a white sedan trying to desperately halt it's forward momentum as a large tractor-trailer swerved over road. It's driver asleep, bottles rolling around the cab, hitting the doors and seats with glassy tings. She watched as the huge truck rolled into and over the smaller vehicle. She could hear the screams of her parents as they were crushed, could see the blood as it painted the white sedan's interior and leak onto the gravel of the emergency lane.

She screamed and ran for the car, hoping that she could save the two people that she loved. She knew that nothing could be done, but she had to try. What would living be worth if they were gone? What hope would she have of being loved? As hard as she tried to run to them, the further they drifted away on the smoke that seeped from the trees and grasses that lined the roadway. She called to them, crying, her tears slipping down her face. She could hear emergency vehicles in the dense fog, but she could not see them. Then they were gone.

Dropping to her knees, Lorena cried. She cried again as she did on that long ago night. She had blamed herself for their deaths. _She _had called them and wanted to come home. _She_ had been with her grandparents for over a week and was itching to get home. She loved her grandparents, but she wanted her parents. It had seemed so childish to call for them like a small child. After years of blaming her childish ways, she had forgiven herself.

She had gotten some satisfaction from the conviction of the truck driver. He had been charged with drunk driving, wreckless endangerment, and vehicular manslaughter. It had later come to light that he had been convicted of several other DUI charges in other states and had hidden the fact from his employers. The man was now serving life in prison with no possibility of parole in a federal penitentiary.

Drying her eyes, Lorena stood and looked around. Smoke was still drifting around like lonesome wraiths, it's tendrils curling around indistinguishable objects. Some of those objects were moving under to cover of the deep fog. She tried to peirce the thick grey, but could not. A figure moved and became more visible as it came toward her. A man, tall and dark haired, approached and stopped just short of his face being revealed. Lorena couldn't see what he was wearing, only that it wasdark and seemed to float about him, giving him a dark ethereal look.

"Who are you?" she called out.

"I am no one, child," his dark and deep voice slithered from the fog.

"Why are you here? Why won't you come out where I can see you?" she asked, taking a few steps forward. The man drifted back.

"I am here to see this woman's grief. To see and feel her sorrow and hatred. I see something that interests me," his voice came from right behind her. Lorena spun around but could not see him. "My identity is not important."

"Why would you want to know about me? I am a nobody," Lorena exclaimed, turning, trying to locate the man again.

"You will come to me when you are at your weakest," he stated, the dark and velvet voice drifting on the wind.

Before Lorena could blink, something moved in the fog. She focused and watched as it lumbered on the edges of the fog enshrouded area. She could hear trees sighing in the wind; leaves drifting to the ground. The thing stumbled, grunted in pain, but still came. It was growling low in it's throat as it came for her.

She knew it wanted her. She could tell by the way it seemed to zero in on her. Her heart picked up pace, slowly crawling from her chest into her throat. Eyes growing wide in terror, Lorena watched frozen as the beast was suddenly revealed. The fog blew away, as if a strong wind came by and washed the world of some putrid stench, uncovering black fur, glowing yellow eyes, and wicked looking teeth. It's body long and lean, the black fur lush and gleaming, coming to a tail, and larger than the last time she had seen it, the wolf stared her down. A light foam coated it's lips, pink and red mixing with the white, as blood dripped from his muzzle.

Lorena couldn't contain the scream of terror as it ripped from her throat. The wolf was going to kill her. She did the only thing a frightened animal would. She ran. She ran as hard as she could, her feet feeling leaden. She heard the wolf howl in frustration and pound after her. She dodged trees and jumped the many obstacles in her path. This wasn't how she wanted to die. She didn't want to be the prey of something so beautiful, but deadly a creature. Her attention on getting away, Lorena didn't see the roots of the tree as she flew over them, her foot becoming entangled in one of the upraised roots.

Grunting in pain as the gnarled roots dug into her ribs and stomach, Lorena struggled to pull herself up, hearing the crash and running feet of pursuit coming for her. Starting to cry in frustration and terror, she tried to get free, but the more she struggled, the harder the root clung to her foot. Wishing she had brought her knife, Lorena became aware of the absence of sound.

Looking up from her problem, she screamed again, her heart ramming in her chest. The black wolf was standing a few feet away. His muzzle flecked with fresh blood, he snarled and lunged for her. Lorena twisted away, feeling the roughness of his fur as he spun back around. She could only watch as he stood over her and growled. Tears slipped from her eyes as she waited for the teeth that would crush her throat. He howled in triumph and lunged for her throat.

Lorena screamed as she woke, her hands flying to her throat. Coming to her senses, she collapsed on the bed and wept.


	6. A Face in the Dark

Do Not Go Gently 

Chapter 6

A Face in the Dark

(a) (a) (a)

Several days had passed since the nightmare and Lorena still had yet to get a good nights sleep. Every night the wolf chased her over different terrain, catching her everytime and ripping her throat out. She hadn't told anyone of her nightmares. She didn't think any of them could help her anyway. It was her problem and hers alone.

Trisain had been good to her word and boxes upon boxes of clothes had shown up in her sitting room. Thanking the Aes Sedai, they had torn through them, revealing dresses, shirts, and riding skirts in all shades of blue, green, red, silver, and even a few in pastels. One box contained ten pairs of black breeches made of a highly durable material. Lorena had asked about them andTrisain had stated that she had learned about some of the cloth weaving techniques of Lorena's world and had brought over just a little to help keep the materials longer.

In other boxes were an array of cloaks, shifts, capes and various other accroutrements for her stay. Trisain smiled as she handed Lorena a rather large box. Looking a little bewildered, Lorena took it and carefully opened it. She gasped as she pulled the garment out and held it up. Made ofhunter green silk, the dress was fit for a princess. Entranced, Lorena slipped into her roomto tryit on.

Very simple, yet elegant, thedress flowedfrom a boatneck shaped neckline that stopped just above the sweels of her breasts, giving the wearer a sense of elegeance, and affording the viewer with a scene of skin, yet hiding and enhancing the beauty of the woman wearing it. The bodice was molded to her figure, a corset like contraption, sewn into the fabric, was laced with muted silver laces and enhanced her slim waist and pushed her breasts up. It was comfortable and nothing like the corsets she had worn in the past for various costumes. Material spilled from her hips to pool at her feet. A small train extended from the back and swept the floor in sumptuous folds of green. A front panel worked in silver depicted a Chinese dragon resting in splendor, her sword, worked in silver and sapphire threads, washeld in its delicate looking claws.

Lorena's eyes misted, blurring the vision in front of her. Never had she thought to come to a different world and find the kindness that Trisain was showing her. She turned to find Trisain's foggy figure standing in the doorway. Smiling happily, Lorena rushed to her and hugged her tightly.

"It's the most beautiful thing I have ever owned. Thank you, Trisain," Lorena exclaimed, her throat becoming tight.

Trisain wrapped her arms around the girl and lay her cheek on top of her head. "You are most welcome, Lorena. I wasn't sure if you would like it," Trisain chuckled.

"I love it! But what would I need a dress this elegant for?" She asked stepping back and gesturing to herself.

Trisain just smiled and motioned for Lorena to follow her back into the sitting room. She bent over and picked out the green silk stockings and garters lined in silver. She then pulled out the low heeled hunter green, soft kid slippers. Tiny silver dragons danced across the surface of the green leather in silver splendor. Handing them to Lorena, Trisain dove back into the box and lifted out a black sword belt. Again silver dragons twined across the black leather, even across the frogs. Trisain flapped her hand at Lorena, motioning her to lift her arms high enough so that she could strap the belt across her hips.

Lorena could only stand speechless. She had needed a sword belt or a while, but she had never thought to have one so gorgeous. She watched as the Aes Sedai fitted it around her hips, adjusting it so that the hilt of her blade would be within reach of her right hand. There was even a smaller sheath for a dagger. A tear slipped from her bright sea green eyes.

Trisain stood and looked at the lay of the belt. She nodded and approved of the fit. It could be worn with anything and not get in the way of Lorena's clothing. Leonard would be tickled that his present fit so well. Trisain smiled at the teary eyed girl. Her eyes had changed colors again. They were a misty sea green and matched her darker clothing perfectly. She had been wanting to know why her eyes changed, for she had never seen anyone on this world, or her limited time on Lorena's, who could change the color of their eyes.

"Come now, child, no need for tears. Leonard would be disappointed that his gift were cried over," Trisain admonished, smiling.

Lorena smiled and wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I'm all weepy today. It's beautiful. I have needed one for a while, but hadn't the time to get one. I'll have to thank my father very happily later tonight. Now," Lorena burst out, "which dress should I wear for supper?"

The women spent the next hour or so picking out an ice blue sheath dress with a navy over-dress, slit down the sides and belted with a gold chain. A dagger sheath with an ivory handled dagger, that was very sharp, hung from the gold chain. Trisain brought a small oblong box over to Lorena and opened it. Inside was the most delicate gold chain. On a gold loop hung a gold dragon. Rubies blinked from the eyes of the dragon as sapphires winked from the claws and the tip of the tail. Trisain lifted it from the box and set it against Lorena's throat. Nodding, she closed the clasp and stood back.

"That is excellent," she exclaimed, her hands clasped to her breast. "I thought that it would fit you perfectly!"

Lorena smiled crookedly, "You are a vixen, Trisain. You keep bringing me these boxes and surprising me." She nearly fell over laughing at the dramatic way Trisain clutched at her heart and fell onto the sofa behind her. "Now, you'll have to excuse me, my lady. I have a lot to do before supper tonight and the least ofit is cleaning this mess."

"But you don't have to do that, dear," Trisain protested. "That is why I assigned a maid to you. By the by, where is she?"

Lorena blushed. "I, uh, gave her the day off," she hastily answered.

"The day off?" Trisain asked, puzzled. "Whyever would you do that?"

"Well, I don't really need a maid, Trisain. She gets in my way when I am trying to get dressed and she's annoying," Lorena grumped.

The Aes Sedai laughed to herself. "Annoying?"

Lorenathrew a glareat the smiling woman and answered, "She tells me how a lady should dress, talk, walk, comport herself around gentlemen, and tells me all about Ian. If I wanted to know any of that, I would have gotten a book on the rules of this place, sat my butt in a chair, and read all about them."

Trisain couldn't help it, she laughed out loud. Merilyn could be annoying, but she was just to annoying sometimes, it seemed. Telling Lorena that she would send her a new maid, one that would only help her clean the room, dress, and fix her hair, Trisain rang for Lorena's bath and departed. She wondered how Saris and Leonard would react when they saw Lorena later that night. She was a joy to have around and to dress.

She wondered if Lorena would panic when she found out that they were to attend a ball in honor of Rand. She hoped not. Leonard and his group were to be presented to the Dragon later this week. They would have to make the trip soon. It was a good thing that they only had to Travel to get to their family house in Cairhein. She would have to tell them tonight.

Lorena sighed and cleared some of the mess away that they had left of her sitting room. She hoped she would never have to see that Merilyn again. The woman was a harpy. Always telling her to do this and that, how to act and what to wear. Grousing under her breath, Lorena tore through her room to the bathroom and unlocked the maid's door. They would be along shortly to fill her bath and she needed to bring the dress she was going to wear into her room, as well as look for the slippers, stockings, and garters she was to wear with it.

(a) (a) (a)

Feeling much better after her bath. Lorena finished her toilet and rang for the bath to be emptied. Soon, three men bustled in and emptied the bath, bowed to her and left. Chuckling to herself, Lorena dabbed some jasmine oil on her shoulders and under her ears. Having arranged her hair in a small bun atop her head with most of the cinnamon colored mass hanging free, she pulled a few strands free to float around her face.

After her bath, Lorena had went back into the sitting room and rummaged around in the rest of the unopened boxes. In them she had found more jewelry, undergarments, slippers, and boots. The undergarments were interesting. They had been bought back on Earth, so Lorena had no worries about that area of her wardrobe. There were piles of soft socks and stockings, gobs of garters of every shade to match her dresses, and so many coats, capes, riding cloaks, and walking cloaks that Lorena didn't know what to do with them.

She opened one of the drawers on her dressing table and lifted out a pair of gold dangling earrings. She placed them on the table and took out the simple amethyst stones in her ears. The silver hoop in her upper left ear winked in the soft candlelight. She found another gold hoop in a small pouch on the table and exchanged them. Putting the gold earrings in, she heard the gong for supper. Checking her appearence one last time, Lorena made her way to the dining parlor.

She had waited as long as she dared, letting everyone take their places, before she entered the room. The soft slippers making not a sound as she came down the hall. She could hear Trisain's laughter and the deep rumble of the men's voices. She touched the golden dragon at her throat and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She exhaled as she entered the informal dining room.

(a) (a) (a)

Leonard was nervous. He had been expecting her to show in the drawing room, but she had never made it. He could only hope that she enjoyed the clothes and other items that he and Trisain had bought. They had enlisted Saris's help in going home to buy some of the items. He was almost as excited as Trisain to see her in her new clothing.

When the gong had rung, Lorena still hadn't made it down. He had grown worried. He had wanted to go and fetch her, but Trisain had pinned him with a"don't you dare" lookand he had subsided. Now she stepped into the room and he could only stare. She was a vision in the blues and golds adorning her. He stood and came to her side and bowed. She smiled at him and he noticed that her eyes were the color of a midnight sky with flecks of gold around the rims.

"My dear, you are a vision," Leonard finally choked out. "Do you like your new wardrobe?"

Lorena smiled beautifully and kissed her new father on his cheek. "I love them, Father. But the best one was the sword belt. Thank you."

Leonard blushed, he cheeks turning a bright shade of red. He smiled again and escorted her to her place. She was sitting beside Seth tonight and he looked her over carefully. She stuck her tongue out at him and grinned. He grinned back, then looked over to Donald. He had a look of pure rapture on his face as he stared at Lorena. He had to agree with the younger man. She was a beautiful creature. In fact, she almost looked like the fey his grandmother spoke of in her long ago stories.

Saris had stood, as well as Ian, as his friend's daughter entered the room. He could tell that she was pleased with the wardrode. He noticed the dragon around her neck and nodded his head in approval. She was definitely a woman of the Dragon. She carried herself with elegance and innocence, with sophistication and gentleness. Under that he could see her determination and stubborness. She had the will to fight whatever demons she faced. But he could also see the nervousness and caution in her. She could and probably would, make mistakes, but she would bring herself away from them. She would do very well in this world.

Ian watched the girl with hooded eyes. He hadn't seen her in the last few days and could only guess at her actions in that time. He himself had been busy working with the estate bond servants to fix the many small troubles they seemed to have. Trying to work around them and keep his sanity was an effort. They constantly chattered and squabbled over inane things. He preferred the quiet of seclusion, but he could only laugh and try to keep them from tearing each other apart. But Light, he missed it. He could only pray that there would be a home to come back to after the Last Battle.

Now he watched as she was seated and he and his father sat back down. He kept quiet as she made faces at Seth and Donald. He could tell that the younger one, Donald, was enchanted and Seth was amused. He could only guess as to why. She still looked small to him, though she was more womanly in the dress. As she carried on a conversation with the group, he noticed the dragon on her throat. He inhaled sharply. Only those dedicated to the Dragon dared to openly wear a dragon in anyone's presence. Why was she? Was she fighting for the Dragon or just a bystander? He had to know.

Lorena became aware of Ian's intense gaze and shot a glance over to him. He was staring at her throat and she unconciously touched the dragon lying there. What was he thinking, she thought. She wished that he would stop. He was making her nervous. Since their little fight, she hadn't seen him around. Not that she had been looking for him. She had kept busy by riding the estate and practicing with Seth and Donald.

Several courses were served during dinner, including mutton, lamb, and a creamy soup of carrots, snow peas, and mushrooms. Dessert was a delicious confection of lime and cream filled pastries,served with a chilled fruity white wine. After dinner, the group headed for the Blue Parlor to have coffee and conversation. Leonard pulled out his pipe and vanilla tobacco. She knew that he also kept the same tobacco in cigarette form and the papers in the little pouch with his pipe. Lorena hadn't had a cigarette for a year or so, but with the nightmares and the way that Ian had been staring at her, she was out of sorts and needed the nicotine.

Pilfering his pouch fromLeonard's pocket, she set about rolling up one of the fragrant cigarettes. Not caring that anyone was watching her, she rolled it into a cylindar and sealed it with a quick swipe of her tongue. Turning it, she then wet the whole thing to make it burn slower. Grabbing Leonard's matches, she handed him his pouch and lit her prize. She opened one of the windows and stood by it and inhaled deeply. She closed her eyes to savor the searing feeling of smoke entering her lungs and the smell of vanilla as it floated on the night air. Smiling she turned back to the group and tossed Leonard his matches.

"What?" she asked the assembly as they only stared ar her.

Seth and Donald hooted in laughter as the others just sat silently, Leonard standing just a few feet away at another window, grinning. What was so funny? She glowered at the laughing men and took another drag.

"I did not know that you smoked, Lorena," Trisain commented, sipping her coffee. She sighed as the bitter black brew slid down her throat.

"My nerves have been a little jangled these last few days. But this is the first one in over a year. I stopped after three years. It was making me sick," Lorena felt compelled to admit. "I've just been adjusting to the new enviorment and I haven't been sleeping well. Smoking helps to calm my nerves."

Trisain nodded and reached for a little box sitting next to her. She opened it and pulled out a little cigar. She grinned and embraced _saidir_, lighting the end. She took a few puffs and handed it to Saris. She took another and lit it for herself. "It's something that we picked up on the other side. I agree that it helps to relax you. But there is something else that relaxes you more over there. It's called marijuana, I believe."

Lorena nearly choked as did Seth and Donald. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Pot? From Trisain? Clearing her lungs of the smoke still lingering there, Lorena responded, "Yes. But there are things out there that act just the same as marijuana. There are herbal alternatives that are better for you and legal."

"Really? I will have to check into it when we go back," Trisain replied. "I would like to learn about these herbs. They could prove to be useful in my research."

Lorena could only smile dazedly and puff on her cigarette. She hoped she wouldn't have to answer any more queries like that. Now, she wasn't a prude when it came to drugs, hell she had done it and still did it, but to hear that a sixty-year-old couple partook of the drug. She could only shake her head. She wondered if they had ever let Ian try it. What was she thinking? She shook her head and flicked her nearly gone cigarette out the window.

"I have an announcement to make," Saris said as he puffed happily on his cigar. Everyone turned to him and he continued, "We will be attending a ball in a few days time in the capital. We must gather our things together and have the family moved in three days. The ball is to be held in five days, giving us time to settle in and give our three new guests a tour of the city. We will Travel, so we don't have to worry about riding or bringing more than a trunk or two.

"As for Seth, Donald and Lorena, you will be required to have your weapons with you at all times. Shadowspawn and Trollocs have been known to roam around outside the city and at times enter the city to cause trouble. Trisain, you will need to show Lorena the Weaves for a shield. Other then that, it is up to you what you would like to teach her." Saris finished, leaning back on the sofa, grinning and puffing away.

Ian looked confused. Teach the girl a shield? She could control the One Power. But she was new to this place and probably didn't know that she was one of those that were most feared and reviled by his brothers. He himself held no fear of women that could channel and that was pretty self-explanatory. Taim didn't like him for this, for he hated women with a passion and, Ian feared, he was quite mad.

"Yes, dear, I was going to get around to teaching her later this week, possibly tomorrow. As for teaching her anything besdes that she will have to ask. I have made plans to meet with Grimanai Sedai in Cairhein. She is going to be staying with us and teaching Lorena," Trisain said snottily to her husband, sipping her now tepid coffee. She grimaced and poured hot coffee into her cup.

Ian groaned. Not Grimanai, anyone but her. The Green Aes Sedai had seven Warders and all of them were young and stupid around her. They were insanely jealous of any man that came near her and had caused numerous bar brawls for supposed acts of reclaiming her honor. He could just see them now trying to bash his skull in just for asking her to pass the butter.

Ian looked askance at his mother and asked rather pitifully, "Does she have to bring her Warders?"

Trisain glared at her son. "That is like asking me to kill your father, Ian."

"So the answer's no. Great," Ian groused, slumping down in his chair. "That is all we need. Seven idiots trying to kill us all for just looking at Grimanai Sedai."

Trisain made a tutting noise and said, "They aren't that bad, Ian. Besides, Grimanai and I have discussed her Warders. Only two may be in the house at any one time. Even I can't stand more then that running amok in my house."

Lorena was hiding a smile. She couldn't wait to meet this Grimanai Sedai and her Warders. She could only guess that Warders were the Aes Sedai personal guards. That in mind, Lorena asked Trisain.

"I will explain about them with Grimanai when we meet her in Caihein. Besides, I want to play some billiards." With that, Trisain stood and made her way from the parlor and across the hall. "Lorena," she called.

(a) (a) (a)

Lorena and the rest spent the next few hours playing pool, as Trisain and Saris explained about loving the game and importing a table and all the equipment to their estate. After being beaten soundly for a few games, Leonard, Saris, Seth, Trisain, and Donald headed for their rooms. Not in the least bit tired, Lorena asked Leonard if she could have another cigarette and went out to the garden.

Ian escorted her out, not wanting to be rude and wanting to know more about the girl. He leaned against a stone ledge and watched as she sat and stared off into the chilly night. It was well past midnight and the moon was just starting to rise, as clouds scudded across the black blanket of stars.

Breaking the silence, Ian asked, "So you can channel, my lady?"

Lorena looked over her shoulder at Ian and nodded. "I didn't know I could. Trisain surprised me on my arrival and I just emulated what she was doing. It felt funny the first time I used _saidir_. But nothing like when your father uses _saidin_. It makes my stomach all fluttery."

"You," Ian choked out, "you can tell when a man uses the One Power?"

"Mmm-hmmm," Lorena answered. "I couldn't until Saris brought us over, but after that I could. I just thought it was Gate sickness, but it happened again when he channeled in the courtyard on the day we came to the estate."

"Amazing," he said under his breath.

"I haven't seen much of your world, my lord, but I have enjoyed it so far. Do you know what this ball is all about?" Lorena asked, coming to stand near him.

Ian nodded and turned to look at her fully. Her hair shone in the light of the moon and turned her skin a dark shade of copper. The gold at her throat and ears shining dully in the blue light. "The ball is in honor of the Dragon Reborn. There you will be introduced to Rand al'Thor. Later, Father and I will take you to meet with him in a private briefing. From there, your little family will get their orders."

Lorena listened. She had been wanting to know more about this Rand person and Ian must have met him at some point at the Black Tower. She wanted to know more about the man. If she was going to throw her lot in with this Dragon she needed the facts.

"Tell me of the Dragon Reborn. What kind of man is he?" she asked, perching on the stone ledge.

Ian twisted to get a better seat and to face the inquisitive sprite. "He's...strange. He doesn't allow anyone but his Maidens near him or Elayne Trakand, Min, or his Aiel woman, Aveindha. Very few men that channel are ever near him. He trusts a bare few and that is saying much about him. He fought at Falme in the sky against the Dark One and recieved a wound that never fully heals. He is fated to save the world by defeating the Dark One and seal him away forever."

Lorena looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think that he is wise to keep very few people close. Tell me, does he talk at all with the Amyrilyn Egwene Sedai, his friend from the Two Rivers?"

Ian was taken aback a little. How had she come by so much knowledge in so short a time? He wondered if his parents had told her much of the situation in this world. He answered as best as he could. "I don't really know. She is Aes Sedai and al'Thor doesn't trust them at all. Ever since Dumai's Wells, he abhors the sight of them, yet he keeps a contigent of them by his side at all times. It is known that he stilled and killed several of the Aes Sedai that had captured him. He nearly went mad being locked in a small trunk. But it is our thought that he did go mad."

"That poor man," Lorena whispered. "I don't know if I should be a part of the Aes Sedai at all." At Ian's look of astonishment, she explained. "I wouldn't want to be a part of a group that takes a man against his will. I could never still a person, be it man or woman, after knowing the joy of _saidir_. That is what those women were doing with him. The White Tower Amyrilyn, Elaida Sedai, was going to use him for her own purposes, that I can tell you right now. Forcing a person to do what they don't want to is slavery, no matter which way you want to look at it. Slavery is the worst form of abasement a human can put another human through."

"You are very intelligent for one so young, my lady," Ian said quietly.

Lorena blushed and hoped the lack of light would hide it. "Not really. It's just common sense," she declared, gesturing with her hands as she shrugged her shoulders.

Ian smiled. She was more intriguing than he first thought. He wanted to know more about her. What made her tick. It would be interesting to see how well her mind worked. He decided to introduce her to one of his Aiel friends. He hoped that the man was still out there.

"My lady," he began.

"Lorena, please, my lord," she interrupted.

"Lorena, then. Call me Ian. As I was saying, I would like for you to meet one of the men I have with me. He's of the Aiel, a Stone Dog." Without waiting for her answer, Ian called out for his friend.

Lorena whirled when she heard the sound of feet silently padding over earth. She couldn't see who was coming but she could hear them, it was so still. She focused on the sound and fixed her gaze on an area she thought that the feet were coming from. She could barely make out the slight movement of the bushes. She nearly fell off the ledge when she spotted the face in the dark staring at her.

"I see you, Ian Dornamor," the man's whisper soft voice called out over the garden.

"I see you, Na'fha," Ian called back. "My water is yours, and the shade of my septhold will welcome you. Come on out."

Lorena watched as they continued in the greeting ritual. For that is what it seemed to her. She watched as the tall and lean man dressed in shades of green, brown and grey stepped from the bushes surrounding the garden. A viel of some sort hung across his chest and his blond hair was pulled back in a que. He was clean shaven as well. He was very tall, she thought as she stood slightly behind Ian. He was a little taller than Ian andIan had to stand a good six feet in height. Na'fha's eyes were light, but she couldn't really tell what color they were and he was a very dark shade of bronze. He reminded her of the Plains Indians and the desert dwellers. She didn't know why though.

"May I introduce you to the Lady Lorena Diar, Blade Mistress of the Holy Order of the Dragon's Heart," Ian said stepping aside to introduce her.

Na'fha was a little surprised. She was Aiel in coloring and stance, but she wasn't Aiel. She was a wetlander, but he was more openminded than most of his people. "I see you, Lorena Diar."

Lorena answered back, "I see you, Na'fha of the Stone Dog."

Na'fha turned to Ian with the question in his eyes. "I told her," Ian explained.

Na'fha nodded his head. "Her speech is different than any other wetlander's that I have come across. What clan does she hail from, near-brother?"

Ian chuckled and said, "She comes from across the Gate, Na'fha. She is of the Lion's clan, his daughter in fact."

Na'fha bowed low to the girl. "I am most honored to meet the daughter of such an honored warrior. Do you dance as well as your father?"

"Dance?" Lorena asked, bewildered, turning to Ian.

"He means do you fight as well as Leonard, Lorena," Ian explained. "Dance means to fight in Aiel."

"Oh," she said lamely. She straightened and looked up into the Aiel's face. "I dance very well, Na'fha. You will have to join me one day."

"Uh, Lorena, I don't-" Ian started, but was cut off by Na'fha.

"I would dance the spears with you, Lorena Diar," Na'fha agreed.

"At noon tomorrow? I am feeling ready for a good practice. Do you use swords or spears? I have to say that I am no good with spears. What about a little hand-to-hand combat?" Lorena smiled, inclining her head at Na'fha.

Na'fha agreed. "Hand-to-hand it shall be. I must leave, Ian. May you always find water and shade."

Before they could respond, Na'fha melted into the shadows and disappeared. Ian groaned and turned to the smiling girl.

"Do you know what you have gotten into, Lorena?" Ian demanded, frowning at her.

Lorena was stunned at his tone. "What are you talking about, Ian? I need the practice and he was willing to practice with me."

Ian glared at her. "The Aiel are the best at hand-to-hand combat. You won't last a minute against him!"

Lorena grew angry and nearly shouted, "What business is it of yours, _my lord_? I'm tired of riding and practicing with Seth and Donald. Na'fha will be a good opponent to test my skills." She whirled and started for the house.

Ian grabbed her arm and swung her back around. He glared down into her angry face. He wanted to say something to her, but she looked to bloody beautiful. He did the next best thing to shouting at her. He kissed her. Lowering his head, he brushed his lips lightly across her lush ones. She stopped struggling as his lips brushed against hers. Feeling this, he brought his mouth back to hers and kissed her softly. He ran his tongue over the seam of her closed lips and tasted the vanilla of her cigarette.

Lorena didn't know what to do. One minute she was boiling mad and the next she was melting into Ian. She had been shocked to feel his lips on hers. She wasn't that innocent, but he kissed so well. A light shiver came over her as his tongue traced the line of her lips. With her free arm, she lifted it to touch his face, as her eyes drifted shut. He deepened the kiss, becoming a little more demanding. She answered back by wrapping her hand around his neck and pulling him closer, before her mind kicked back into gear.

Not realizing that his pretty quarry was coming back to her senses, Ian forced her lips open and plundered the vanilla coated tongue within. Her tongue writhed and swirled around his, making his senses tingle. He pulled back a little and kissed her hotly. He yelped in pain as he felt her teeth sink into his lip. He pulled back and noticed a dark stain on her lips. He watched as she licked the blood from her bottom lip.

She glared haughtily at him and spat, "If you ever do that again, _my lord_, I will have more than your blood on my lips. I will bathe in it." She turned and marched away, her head held high, barely making a sound.

"That is a true woman, Ian," Na'fha's voice drifted out over the veranda. "You took without asking and she took her payment from your hide."

Ian wiped the blood from his lip and glared at his friend and near-brother. "Keep quiet, Na'fha. She needed it."

"No, Ian, you wanted and took without asking. You got what you deserved. She knows _ji-e-toh_ even though she is not of the Three-Fold-Land," Na'fha stated with pride in his voice.

"You don't have to act so smug about it. What about you and Darsha?" Ian asked acidly, needing to get back at Na'fha. "If a Maiden loves you, you can not escape her however hard you run, Na'fha. Remember?"

Na'fha growled at his near-brother. "That is different."


	7. Midnight Dreary

Do Not Go Gently 

Chapter 6

Midnight Dreary

(a) (a) (a)

Trying to keep her temper cool, Lorena changed into a pair of black breeches, dark blue shirt, and her riding boot. She carefully removed her earings and put her silver posts back in and her silver hoop. Last of all she strapped her sword belt to her hips and sheathed the new dagger she had recieved with one of her outfits. Pulling her hair back, Lorena was ready to blow off some steam. What had she been thinking to let him kiss her? She snarled and swung down the hall and out of the house as quietly as possible.

Upon reaching the stables, Lorena re-thought her plan of riding and decided to walk to the stream a few hundred yards away. It would get her away from the house and away from Ian. She grimaced again and headed for the treeline. She needed to calm down and tire herself out before she even thought about sleeping.

The nightmares were still coming to her every night and she didn't know of a reason as to why she was having them. The one encounter with the wolf shouldn't have produced the nightmares. He hadn't been viscious, only curious. So why was she having the nightmares? She hadn't seen the man from her first nightmare since, but his words echoed in her mind still. What was his purpose and why had he seemed so forbidding?

The night was getting cooler and cooler, the stars shining against the black velvet of midnight. The moon was just reaching it's zenith as she reached the small estate forest. The blue light of the moon shone through the foliage to pool at the base of several tall oaks and maples. Leaves rustled and swished in a light breeze as it swept across the sky, scudding the clouds that had developed since she had reached the first oak. She had found a small glade next to the stream with several rocks that provided comfortable, if hard, spots to sit and relax. She came to one of the larger of the five set near the stream and reclined on the grass with her back propped against the rock. Lorena ran her fingers through the grass and felt it crinkle between her fingers. She closed her eyes and listened to the trees swaying to the music of the wind. Night animals scurried around in the shadows, pausing now and then, possibly to check on the human sitting in the glade or checking for food. Night owls screeched and swooped, a small animal squealed as it was taken. She sighed and relaxed even more as the normal sounds of the night continued around her.

"I see you, Lorena, " N'fha's voice cut through the night.

Lorena jerked up and came to her knees, half drawing her dagger. Shelocated N'fha in the darkness and answered him back. "I see you, N'fha."

He came from the shadows and crouched near her, but out of reach of the dagger. "Why do you choose to sleep out here instead of under the Wise One's roof?"

It took Lorena a second to process what he had asked before she smiled and replied, "I do not sleep out here. I came to cool my head. If I had not, I would have taken that oaf's head off with my bare hands."

N'fha smiled slightly and nodded. The woman was full of fire at least. She was very small and delicate looking, almost the size of his youngest brother, barely coming to his shoulder. She had the build, though, of a warrior. She was tough and could possibly take on two or three warriors and be able to dance the spears quite well. He would test her skill on the morrow. But for the moment he wanted to know more about this woman that had captured his near-brother's eye.

His knees starting to burn, N'fha sat back on his rear and sighed. The cold of the wetlands was making his knees hurt more and more as it got colder. If he were back in the Three Fold Land, his knees wouldn't ache and pain him as much.

Not showing his discomfort, N'fha asked, "What troubles you? It cannot be my near-brother that has you out in the cold of midnight."

Lorena leaned back against the rock and sighed. "I've not been sleeping well these last few nights. Nightmares of wolves chasing me and ripping me to shreds." She wrapped her arms around herself as if to ward off the vision.

N'fha nodded and listened as the Maiden told him of her nightmares. He thought of her that way for she was carrying her weapons and wasn't married. He had heard of men that could talk to wolves and had the eyes of the wolf. If he wasn't mistaken, one of his Stone Dog brothers was following one of the Dragon's friends, Perrin Ay'barra. He would have to check into the local population to see if there was a man or woman with the yellow eyes that could help the Maiden with her nightmares.

"N'fha, do your knees hurt?" Lorena asked him, breaking his reverie.

"Not overmuch. Why do you ask?"

"You were rubbing you knee. I have the same problem during the worst of winter. My ankles and knees hurt from playing sports when I was a child. My wrists will start aching later on as I get older from all the sword work that I do. Would you like to know how to make it stop for a while?" Lorena offered, smiling slightly.

N'fha thought for a moment "I will not take from you what I cannot give back," he stated.

Lorena smiled. "Alright, N'fha. What would you give me for teaching you how to make your knees stop hurting in the worst of cold weather?"

He smiled at her remark. "Spoken like a true Aiel, Maiden of the Spear...er, sword." He chuckled at his own joke. "I would give you something to equal the value of this gift you give."

"Any ideas on what it might be?" she asked, curious.

N'fha thought for a moment and nodded to himself. He knew the perfect thing for her. "I will trade you a Maiden to teach you the ways of the Aiel, if you will teach my Wise One of your healing. She does not know of a way to help ease the pain in my joints and I refuse to have the One Power used on my body," he declared, scowling at the last statement.

Lorena nodded. "I respect your decision and I will take your offer. I will teach your Wise One of this healing art and take the Maiden to teach me. But now I will teach you how to do it, so that when you are on the hunt or on the field of war, you can do this yourself." With that, Lorena came to her knees and knee-walked to the Aiel man. "Do you have any whiskey?"

N'fha gave the Maiden a strange look. "What is whiskey?"

Lorena cursed herself and rephrased her question. "Alcohol? Stuff to make you drunk?"

"Ah! Yes, here in this skin," he handed her a wine skin containing oosquai.

Lorena took it and sniffed the contents. The smell alone could qualify for at least a hundred proof and would suit her needs perfectly. Taking the skin, she sat back on her haunches and reached the short distance to the water and lifted out a few floating leaves. Next she took a stick and dug out some fresh soil. Placing the soil on the leaves, Lorena poured the alcohol over the soil and mixed it in, not letting any of the mud touch the ground.

Lorena looked up from her mud pile and grinned at N'fha. He had been watching her with some concern and was wondering why she was wasting good to make mud. When she looked up at him and smiled, he grew nervous. What was she planning to do to him?

"Take your breeches off," she stated, keeping a straight face.

He had the expression of a deer caught in the headlights, before he started to laugh. He obliged her by standing and stepping out of the multi-colored material. He was still smiling as he sat back down, not bothering to cover himself.

It was a good thing that Lorena had grown up on a farm and had seen just about everything a man or male animal had. It didn't make her nervous to be around a naked male, it was the ones that wanted her the same way that made her nervous. Since N'fha only wanted his knees to stop hurting and he had laughed at her command, she was pretty much safe with him. She watched in appreciation as he dropped trou and sat back down. He was well built for a man that was nearing his late thirties. Or at least she thought him to be that old.

"How old are you, N'fha?" she asked, carefully picking up the leaves and mud, before shuffling on her knees toward the half naked man.

Eyeing the mud, N'fha answered, "I am two and thirty summers, why do you ask?"

"Ah. I had thought you to be older," Lorena replied, coming to a stop beside the Aiel. She set the leaves down beside his knee and sat. She forgot the alcohol and stretched to retrieve the skin.

N'fha admired her as she had admired him. It had been a compliment that she had watched him. It hadn't made him aroused, only appreciative of her appraisal. She may be small but she was extremely well built for a small woman. Her breasts were well-rounded and firm. Her hips were flared enough to ensure a good cradle for a growing child in her womb and her legs were very well developed for a wetlander. He couldn't see her arms, but he would bet his best spear that they were well muscled from her sword. She wasn't skinny like most of the wetlander women he had seen, but rounded in all the right places. Her stomach wasn't flat, but protruded slightly. She may have muscles that showed, but she was still a woman.

Turning back, Lorena caught N'fha's appraisal. She smiled inwardly and considered it a compliment. He didn't seem to be interested in her body, so she didn't have to hurt him. Taking the skin, she poured the grainy smelling alcohol over her hands and rubbed them together for a second to get them to heat.

"This might feel hot and sting a little," she warned before she placed her hands on his right knee. "What is this stuff anyway?"

N'fha relaxed and let her run her hands over his knee. He enjoyed the motion of her hands on his knee. After a few seconds, he felt his flesh start to warm. As she continued to work the alcohol into his skin, it started to get warmer and sting a little. It wasn't too bad. It was actually making his knee feel better. When she stopped her minstrations, he frowned a little and she laughed at him. He smiled back lightly. She took the mud and slathered it over his tingling knee. He sucked in his breath as the cold mud came into contact with the fire that his knee had become. He tried not to curse as the fire built to an almost intolerable inferno. Just when he was about to wash the mess off, the fire died down and it became a dull coal that soothed the deep ache within his knee.

"It is oosquai," he sighed out.

Lorena had grimaced when the Aiel man had nearly screamed in pain. She knew it was going to sting really bad. She had endured the same torture growing up. She washed her hands and came back to the now reclining N'fha. "Ready for the other one?" she asked, crawling over him to get to the left knee.

"Aye, Lorena. Now I know what to expect and not cry out like a babe," he declared, smiling.

She smiled at his sally and set to easing the pain of arthritis of the knees. When she was finished with the left one, Lorena rinsed her hands again and lifted the almost empty oosquai skin to her mouth. She took a quick swig and nearly choked on the liquid fire racing down her throat. She grimaced as it settled in her stomach to light a small fire there before dying to burning coal. She took another to shake the chill from her bones and handed the skin to N'fha. He took the last few swigs from the skin and nodded at her.

"You can wash the mud off now, N'fha," Lorena told him, settling back against the rock. "You shouldn't have a problem from them for a couple of days, so when they start to hurt again, just do what I have done and that should ease your pain for a while."

"I will remember, but I will not have the pleasure of having a beautiful woman doing it for me," N'fha exclaimed, shifting himself with quick movements of his strong arms to the stream. He rinsed the dried mud from his knees and flexed them before standing. "My knees feel like they did when I was just a young boy back in the sept hold." He demonstrated by doing a few flips.

Lorena laughed at his antics. Before long, they were both laughing over her dumb jokes and his weird Aiel humor. The moon passed behind the trees as they sipped from another skin. Yawning, Lorena asked N'fha what time it was. He told her it was a few hours from sunrise.

Drunkenly getting to her feet, Lorena said, "I must get back to the house. It's late, I need sleep, and I have to pack today. And I have a funny feeling that my head will be pounding all day." With that, Lorena made her farewell to the still half-naked N'fha and stumbled back to the house.

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Ian had barely slept all night and the sun was to rise in less than three hours. The nights were definitely getting longer and the sun wasn't coming up as early as it did a week ago. He had worried all night over the kiss he had given Lorena. He shouldn't have done it, even though it was very pleasent and she had seemed to enjoy it. He stared off toward the forest and caught sight of movement. It was dark and was stumbling all over the place. It was big enough to be a small bear but it could also be one of the smaller Trollocs roaming around the area. It would be better for him to check it out to be sure.

Making his way carefully and stealthily toward the moving creature, he was shocked to discover that it was singing in an off-key female voice. Getting closer, Ian was even more shocked to see a thoroughly soused Lorena stumbling toward him. How she had come to be drunk off her skull was anyone's guess, but it would be a good idea to get her back to the house and into her bed before she attracted a Trolloc with her singing.

Stepping from his hiding place, Ian demanded in a fierce tone, "Where in the Light have you been?" He came closer and asked, holding his nose, "Never mind that, what have you been drinking?"

Lorena stopped singing long enough to register Ian standing in front of her and bellowing like a bull. Her eyes were trying to focus on the one on the right as the Ian on the left tried to merge with the bush behind him. Groggily staring at Ian, she tried to stick her tongue out at him and instead ended up getting her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Finally understanding what Ian was asking her, Lorena answered as best she could with her tongue trying to hide from her.

"I wash wif Fha. I showed him how to make hish kneesh better. And we drunk some of the shtuff I used to make him better," she slurred. "Now I want to go to my bed. I'm drunk and so ish Fha. You might want to go and make shure that he got his pantsh back on right."

Ian could understand about half of what she mumbled and slurred, but he caught the "pants back on right" part just fine. "WHAT!" he yelled. "What do you mean 'make sure he got his pants back on right'?"

Lorena frowned. She thought she had told him already, so she told him again. "I helped Fha wif hish kneesh. He has arthritish of the kneesh." She looked askance at him and grabbed a lucid moment. "Why am I telling you thish? You aren't my hushband or my father."

Ian rubbed his temples. "Nevermind, Lorena. Let's get you to bed so you can sleep off that poison N'fha calls 'good stuff'." Before she could voice a slurred protest, Ian scooped the drunk Lorena into his arms and carried her to the house. "You have to be quiet, Lorena. It's almost daylight and some of the servants are bound to be up and about." He peered down into the sleepy face of his burden and mumbled, "That would be all I need, the servants telling my parents and your father I was carrying you in at this hour, drunk and covered in mud."

Taking the back way to her room, Ian made it into her room without being seen and deposited the now sleeping woman, for what he had held was no girl, on her bed. He pulled her hair down and tried to figure out how to get her sword belt off without waking her. Then he thought that with her in a drunken sleep she wouldn't feel her sword belt coming off, he carefully unbuckled it and set it next to the table by the bed. He then pulled her muddy boots off and hoped that the mud had dried as he tucked the ragged looking Lorena in. He would have a few choice words to say to N'fha when he saw him again, but for the moment he needed to get to his room and try to get some sleep.


	8. The Dragon

A/N: Sorry for the long time in between updates. I was moving and then didn't know I had an internet connection until a few days ago. So anyway, here is the long awaited Chapter 8. Me being the doof that I am, mis-labeled Chapter 7 as Chapter 6...again. Bah. Enjoy. 

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Do Not Go Gently

Chapter 8

The Dragon

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Very little seemed different since the move from the estate to the manor house in Cairhein. Ian was keeping to himself and keeping N'fha away from Lorena. At which she was very angry at him for that. Thanks to her and N'fhas' over-indulgence, they had been unable to practice their skills. Ian had been a sore tooth for the last three days and it was getting on her nerves. He thought that since he was a man, that he could tell her what to do. Bah! she thought. Who did he think he was anyway?

Donning her typical black pants, light sea foam green shirt, her riding boots, and her sword belt, Lorena prepared to meet with Trisain and the Green Aes Sedai, Grimanai. Her room was almost an exact copy of the one back on the estate, as was the manor house, only smaller in scale. She could hear the bustle of the city as it moved with the events of the day. It was louder than usual, for today was the grand ball at the castle. Sighing, Lorena left her suite and headed for the White Gazebo in the gardens.

After greeting the few servants that they had brought, while sneaking into the kitchens to steal a slice of bread and some cheese, Lorena exited the kitchen into the gardens. Hedges and rows of roses, of yellow and red, lay scattered about, almost giving the garden a haphazard look. It wasn't until you viewed it from the veranda that you saw the design the hedges created. Ignoring the other delights the garden offered, Lorena spied the screened gazebo. Taking the last bite of her bread and cheese, she trotted to the steps.

Before she could blink, a smallish man blocked her path. Wearing browns and greys, his skin was cast in a sickening shade of grey, almost like dead flesh. Around his shoulders was a cloak that seemed to flow into the background and blend with it's surroundings. Just looking at it made Lorena woozy. His face set as if carved of stone and as his eyes dared her to enter.

"Let me pass, sir," she said, not moving. He shook his head. "Let me pass or I will have you thrown aside."

"No," was all he said.

Growling low in her throat, Lorena demanded to pass by again. Again he refused and shifted his weight to reveal a heron hilted sword at his hip. She screwed her face up into a look of anger and was about to set her dagger into his leg, when a tall, (it seemed everyone was taller than herself here), woman dressed in green touched his shoulder.

"That is enough, Griz. Lady Lorena is to pass," her husky voice chided. He didn't look up at her, but stepped aside and let Lorena pass, never showing any emotion.

Jumping up the three steps lightly, she turned and stuck her tongue out at the man. She was surprised when he stuck his out too and crossed his eyes. Smiling, she entered the gazebo spying Trisain seated on a divan not to far away. Striding toward her, Lorena sat next to her and leaned back on the woman.

"Get off! Your heavy, Lore!" Trisain joked, giggling and pushing at the girl.

"Am not!" Lorena giggled back, sitting up.

"Well, I see that you two have become fast friends," the woman stated, with a raised eyebrow. "I thought we were to discuss Weaving and Shields today?"

Trisain made a face at her friend, Grimanai Torbach, Sister of the Battle Ajah. Grim was wearing, of course, one of her simple pale green walking dresses, as well as her shawl. The Great Serpent ring flashed from a pendant around her neck, for it was dangerous to show that ring these days. Being a woman from Cairhein, she was very reserved for a Green and even more level-headed, except when it came to men. The woman was crazy about men. Her face was ageless, but she was only a few years younger than Trisain herself. They had been risen to the shawl at the same time and had become fast friends outside their Ajahs. Grim was a few inches shorter than herself with raven black hair and laughing amber eyes. She was beautiful, in a rough kind of way, but a scar from a childhood fight had left it's mark across her left eye to the right side of her lips. Grim had never told her how it had happened and she had never pressed.

"Lorena, I would like to meet Grimanai Sedai, of the Green Ajah."

Lorena bowed her head to the woman. "Pleased to make your aquaintence, Grimanai Sedai."

Grim gave a half smile and sat back on her settee. "As I am to make yours, Lady Lorena."

"If we are to be friends, as I would hope, please call me Lorena or Lore, Grimanai Sedai," Lorena smiled at the woman.

Grim chuckled to herself and nodded her head. "That will be fine, as long as you call me Grim." After waiting on Lorena to agree, she continued. "Trisain tells me that you can feel when a woman shifts into _saidir_ as well as when a man channels near you. And that you are from wherever Saris found Leonard. That means that you are special. You are also a weapons master, it seems. That will be good for what is to come. As to your being able to weild the One Power, you are very weak. You will need to learn the Weaves for war as well as for Healing and shielding."

Lorena could only stare at the rapid-fire speech. Grim was talking so fast it was hard to keep up with her. All she caught were a few words, but war stood out among all she said. What war? What was she getting into in this world?

Grim stood and started to pace. "I think we will start with a simple sight and hearing ward to keep the prying eyes away from what we are doing. The we will move into a basic shielding weave and then go into a larger and more complex shield and ward weave."

Without waiting on either woman to protest, Grim embraced _saidir_ and pulled Fire, Earth, and Air into the Blind and Deaf weave, knotting the red, brown, and white strings into a complex pattern, laying them about the gazebo, cutting the world off. To anyone that passed by they would see the gazebo, empty and still. Hoping the girl was watching intently and learning the weave, Grim tied off the weave and dropped _saidir_ with hardly any flinch at the loss.

Lorena felt the shift and embraced the One Power. She watched in fascination as the Green Aes Sedai wove the strands into a complex and beautiful weave. She could only stare as she tied the weaves off and let go the sunlight. She kept the warm arms of _saidir_ around her and waited for the command to copy the weave. Grim nodded to her and she attempted the weave. Her first attempt failed miserably, nearly burning her hair in the process. Fire wasn't the easiest to work with it seemed, always wanting to twist away from her weave. Earth was easier and more malleable, loving to to handled. Air was only a little harder to work with. Air was the unseeing force that kept this planet alive, slipping into the lungs and making them pump. Another try and another failure, this time with air rushing around the gazebo in near gale force strength.

Lorena gritted her teeth and tried again. This time she concentrated on taming the flames and wrapping the Air around them to keep them at bay, while building a wall of Earth around the cyclone of Air and Fire. She wove the strands as she had seen and tied them off with a sigh. It wasn't long before her weave fell in on itself though. Lorena cursed and growled.

"Do not worry over it, Lore," Trisain comforted. "It takes a while before you will be able to get the weave perfect. I could never get the Blind and Deaf ward to work for me. I am no good with Fire. I can barely use it."

Lorena smiled at the Yellow Sister and sighed, letting go of _saidir_. "This weaving takes a lot out of a person, doesn't it?"

"Yes it does, but you will soon be able to weild it to perfection. You seem to have an affinity to Earth and Air, but Fire is a little harder for you to master. I do not know what Water will do for you, so we will have to see. And Spirit, yes," Grim stated, rubbing her chin in contemplation. "For now, let me teach you a shield weave that will keep you from being attacked with arrows and bolts or anything that is thrown at you."

Lorena nodded and embraced the One Power again, feeling Grim and Trisain do the same. She watched and copied the simple weave of Spirit and Air, knotting it. She watched as Trisain wove Air together and lifted a small vase, hurtling it at Lorena. Flinching, Lorena watched as it bounced off the invisible shield she had created. Grim then wove another shield, this time out of Spirit, Fire and Air. Trisain blinked a few times and frowned.

"That wasn't nice, Grim," Trisain growled.

"But effective," Grim smiled. Turning to Lorena, she explained, "I have cut Trisain away from _saidir_. You must remember this weave. It can save your life. When you go against one of the Black Ajah, you must cut her off from the One Power. She will be able to kill you with her power if you do not. If you feel threatened you must use it!" Grim insisted.

"Grim!" Trisain whined.

Grim laughed and let Trisain have her power back. "You always were a whiner, Tris."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

Lorena laughed at the bickering women for the rest of the morning. They taught her Balefire and the trick to ignoring the weather, as well as some other weaves, though they didn't stay together for her. It was a tiring session and all three women were ready for some lunch and a nap. They would have to be rested for the entire house was to attend the ball. Giving each woman a hug, Lorena spent the rest of the afternoon in the gazebo, napping on the divan.

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Yawning, Lorena woke to the late afternoon sun shining into her eyes. Blinking to clear her vision, she stood and stretched, easing the kinks from her shoulders and back. Embracing _saidir_, Lorena chilled a glass of water and floated it over to her. Sipping the cold water, she smiled and took the glass back through the kitchens, laying it in the sink. Traipsing back to her room, Lorena thought of the hair style she wanted to wear that night. Upon reaching her rooms, she rang for a bath and set out the hunter green dress, slippers, stocking, garters, and some underwear. Hearing the bathroom door open and water splashing, Lorena gathered some smelling salts and her jasmine shampoo. Setting them on a bathing table next to the bath, she went back through the wardrobe locating her robe, a long thigh length t-shirt, and her underwear.

A few minutes later, the bath was filled. Stripping down, she sank into the water with a sigh of bliss. She wondered what Trisain and Grim were going to wear to the ball, as she washed the days activities, though it had been light, from her body. Dipping her head under the water, she played her hands through it to wet it all. Rising above the water, she took her shampoo and washed her hair. After rinsing the suds from her head, Lorena leaned back against the rim of the tub and closed her eyes.

After a few minutes, Lorena smiled and stepped from the water, suds running down her skin leaving white trails. Grabbing a large fluffy towel, Lorena dried off and wrapped it around her head. Pulling the t-shirt and underwear on, she slipped the robe around her shoulders and headed for the bedroom. She had at least three hours before she needed to be ready. It would take at the most two hours for her hair to dry and she needed it dry before then. A gleam came into her eye and she smiled evilly.

Grinning still, Lorena opened a door leading to a small balcony from her room and sat on one of the three wrought iron chairs situated there. Embracing the One Power, Lorena wove together a small strand of Fire and a larger one of Air. Sending the weave to her hand, she felt the slightly warm air brush her skin. Frowning, she unravelled the weave and tried a larger strand of Fire. This time it was just right. Pulling the towel from her head, she guided the weave to her hair and dried it. The nearly burning wind lifted the brownish-red mass in sections, flinging them around to wrap around each other like lovers. When she thought that it was dry enough, Lorena let go of the weave and smiled.

She still had plenty of time to work on her hair and what little makeup that she had found in her bag. Pulling the balcony doors shut behind her, Lorena tossed her robe onto a nearby table and sat on her bed. Lifting one of the silk stockings, she slipped it over her foot and worked it over her calf and thigh. Grabbing the silver garter, she fitted it in place and put the other stocking on. Turning to the full length mirror, she smiled at her reflection.

Next was her hair and makeup. Finding several silver and emerald studded pins in her jewelry drawer, Lorena twisted and pinned her hair in a complex coif that left several tendrils of her cinnamon colored hair to tease the back of her neck and shoulders, as the jeweled pins winked in the candle light. Opting to just shade her eyes and add a little color to her lips, she layered three complimentary greens from light to dark over her eyes and glossed her lips in a pale pink lipstick that was guaranteed to last for several hours. At least she hoped it did.

Next she added the jewelry she was to wear. A silver dragon pendant Leonard had found for her back on Earth and had given her last night as a late gift for her mastery, three silver hoop earrings in each ear and she opted to wear a slave chain on her upper ear. Picking up the delicate silver chain and emerald cuff and stud, she attached the stud in the hole inher upper ear andplaced the cuffnear the hoops. Turning her head to check her appearence, she nodded and stood.

Less than an hour to go before they were expected at the ball. Lorena carefully slid out of her t-shirt. Reaching behind her, she lifted her dress and slipped itgently over her head. Grabbing the lace ties at the waist, she tightened the corset contraption and tied the ends. Smoothing the folds, she adjusted the bodice to fit her more comfortably. Just as Lorena was about to put her shoes on, a knock came at her door.

"Come in!" she called out, hopping around on one foot as she tried to getthe shoe on.

Leonard heard struggling in the next room as he entered and a mufled curse. He smiled to himself as he entered Lorena's bedroom. She was hopping around on one foot, struggling to get the low heeled pumps on. He watched as she lost her balance and fell onto her bed, bouncing off of it and crashing to the floor. He held back his laughter.

"Dammit to hell! I thought these things were supposed to fit!" Lorena complained, glaring at the offending shoe. It seemed that the dragons were laughing at her as they undulated across the toe. She heard snickering from the door and looked up from the middle of the hunter green and silver dress.

"They do fit, dear. You just have to know how to put them on," Leonard commented, smiling as he knelt in front of her. "Give me your shoe and your foot, love."

Lorena smiled and stuck her silk clad foot out to him. He took the pump and easliy slipped it over her toes and around her heel. "See, easy."

She glared at her father and sulkily handed him the other. "Why couldn't I do it?"

"You were forcing them on. You have to ease into them or they will be harder to put on than a pair of leather pants," he stated, slipping the other on and patting her calf. He stood and offered her his hand. He smiled warmly at her as she stood. She was a vision in green and silver. "You look lovely, Lorena."

Lorena blushed and smiled up at him. "Thanks."

Leonard helped her to rise and watched as she smoothed invisble wrinkles from her dress. He helped her strap the sword belt on and nodded as she adjusted it, as well asthe dagger she tucked into her garter. Smiling, they exited the room and made their way to the foyer.

Lorena commented on Leonard's dark blue doublet, black breeches and his ornate, white sheath for hislong sword. He told her it was one of the few items that Saris had bought him while they were in town that afternoon. Laughing and carrying on, he and Lorena came to the top of the stairs. He pecked her on the cheek and descended to the others.

Lorena hung back in the shadows, not completely sure why. She noticed that Grim and Trisain were wearing their Ajah colors in dresses similar to her own, except for the dragon panel. Saris, Seth and Donald were wearing varying shades of gold and cream, as well as sporting white sheaths to hold their swords. Finally her eyes came to rest on Ian. He was wearing all black, of course, and sporting the dragon and sword pins to show his rank as an Asha'man. Taking a deep breath, Lorena descended the stairs.

Ian noticed Lorena first. She glided down the stairs, her heels tapping lightly. He blinked a few times to clear his vision, but when the beautiful creature coming toward them remained, he could only stare. The green of her dress suited her well, as did the jewelry adorning her neck and ears. He noticed the sparkle of green and silver in her hair and in her upper ear. His jaw nearly dropped when he saw the panel on the front of the dress. The silver dragon was almost a copy of the dragons that circled al'Thor's wrists. In one of of it's claws was clasped Lorena's sword in complete detail.

"You're starting to drool, Ian," Saris whispered in his son's ear, or as near as he could get. "Beautiful, isn't she?" he asked, jabbing his elbow into Ian's ribs.

Ian could only nod. He spotted Seth and Donald also staring. He couldn't blame them. The woman was beautiful. His mother and Grim smiled at Lorena and greeted her as she came to the last few stairs. Ian gathered his senses and marched over to Lorena and offered his arm. She looked down at him and smiled nervously.

"You look wonderful, my lady," he intoned as she wove her hand through his arm.

Lorena blushed and smiled up at Ian. "Thank you, my lord."

Saris exchanged a smile with his wife and Leonard. After a few minutes of chit-chat, they left the manor and entered the three open carriages that would take them to the castle. Grim, two of her Warders and Donald took the first. Leonard, Saris, Trisain, and Seth the next, leaving Lorena and Ian to take the last one. Luckily, it was a short ride and all were soon entering the throne room to be greeted by the other guests.

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Lorena was tired. They had been at the ball for well over five hours and the Dragon Reborn had yet to make his appearence. Her feet hurt from all the dancing and walking around. Many of the men had asked to dance with her, even some of the black garbed Asha'men. She had danced with all of them, leaving her breathless and bruised. Several of the noblemen had tried to steer her out to the gardens, but Lorena had only laughed and danced away from their game.

She hadn't seen Ian all night, except for brief glimpses of him dancing with some chit or noble matron. He had even danced with his mother and to some Warder's chagrin, Grim. She smiled, imagining him running for his life from the two men or all seven of them. Leonard had been catching up with some old friends and hadn't even danced the first dance. Not so for Seth and Donald. They had been swamped with ladies and were hard pressed to keep up with all of them.

Lorena was just glad to sit down. She was thirsty and hungry, but could only guess at where a footman was with the trays. Just as she was about to track one of the gold liveried men down, when silence came over the throne room. Standing on the third stair of the throne's dais was a woman wearing a flowered shirt, vest and buckskin breeches. She stood there and waited.

Soon a man of red-brown hair strode out and nodded at the gathering. His face was set in an almost bored expression, as if he couldn't care less for the ball. He was wearing a gold and red doublet with dragons chased in gold thread around the hem and black breeches. He carried a spear head, decorated with green and white tassels at his side along with a heron marked sword, proclaiming that he was a sword master.

It wasn't long, maybe fifteen minutes, before Leonard and Ian came for her. Behind them trailed Donald and Seth not looking to happy to leave the fawning females. Lorena didn't say anything as she stood and followed Ian toward the dais. Steering through the throng, they arrived at the dais.

"My Lord Dragon, I would like to introduce you to the weapon's masters," Ian called out.

Rand looked over the group and nodded. He motioned for Ian to follow him. Lorena noticed the Aiel men and women, as well as two Asha'men standing in the shadows. At least she figured the women wearing the brown and grey clothing and carrying spears were Aiel. Could they be the Maidens? she thought. Following the contigent of men and women, they were shown into a drawing room.

Rand sighed inwardly. Why that batty old woman had made him throw this idiotic party was beyond him. He only did it to get her off his back. He turned and studied the men and woman. He wondered at her dress and sword belt, thinking her to be one of the younger men's wife, wearing the sword belt to honor her husband's profession. The oldest was made of strong stuff. He remembered hearing that he had fought in the Aiel War. The younger men were stought and no doubt good fighters.

Min came over to Rand and handed him a goblet of wine. She had been staring at the woman intently before they had came to the dais. Around her head floated a man in black, wearing the pins of the Asha'man. Also there was a black wolf with blood on it's lips and teeth. Min could only wonder at it's significance. The woman was wearing an odd dress too. She had thought that anyone wearing the dragon openly was crazy. It caused so many problems these days.

"What brings you to me?" Rand asked.

Leonard stepped foreward and bowed only his head, answering, "We come to offer the services of the Holy Order of the Dragon's Heart, my lord."

"Holy Order of the Dragon's Heart, is it?" Rand questioned, a tight smile on his lips. "When did this 'Order' spring up, Ian?" he asked, not in the least amused.

Leonard frowned and answered, standing straight and proud, "My Order has been around since before the Breaking. We are an ancient people that keep order in this world and the next, my lord. We did not 'spring up', as you say, overnight."

"Is that so? Interesting," Rand said, the smile still there. He seemed to frown for a second and then cleared from his face. "Who are you and your companions?"

"I am Lord Leonard Peeks, Master of the Long Sword and Keeper of the Dragon's Heart. This," he replied, pointing out Seth and Donald, "are Lords Seth Drago and Donald Williams, Masters of the Short Sword and Pike, respectively." Both men bowed to Rand.

"And the woman?" he asked growing bored.

Lorena's eye twitched. She didn't care that this was the Dragon Reborn or some shit like that. No one talked to her father that way or about her in that dismissive manner. She gathered her skirts in her hands and marched up to the sneering man. She looked up at him with fire in her eyes.

"Who are you to sneer at my father, al'Thor? You don't know anything about us and you already turn your nose up at us. For all we know, you aren't the bloody Dragon Reborn but an imposter," Lorena stormed, shaking off Leonard's restraining hand.

Rand was amused. The woman was a lit fuse. He should have known from her hair color. She was quite pretty and the dress only made her more so. He had wondered at the dragons she wore though. He wasn't in the mood, though, to listen to a ranting female. If he wanted that, he would track Nynaeve down and listen to her. He just wanted some peace and quiet. Opening a channel into _saidin_, he wove together a weave to silence her.

Lorena was about to continue when she felt the shift in her stomach. Her eyes went wide and she looked to Ian. He was staring at Rand. Nervous now, Lorena grabbed _saidir_ and wove together a shield ofSpirit and Fire. She placed it over herself hoping that it would protect her from _saidin_. To help her more, she randomly wove Air and Water to form a wall around herself.

Rand sensed the woman using _saidir_. His breath hissed into his lungs. Was she a spy from the White Tower? Who was she? He quickly set a sheild around himself. He would be damned if he became a puppet to the Tower!

"Who sent you?" he ground out.

"No one, I swear!" Lorena answered.

"The hell you say, woman! You are Aes Sedai!"

"Not even in your wildest dreams, al'Thor! Do I look like one of the ageless?"

"You were sent to take me to the Tower! I will not become a puppet!"

During this exchange, the men could only watch as Lorena tried to talk some sense into Rand. Ian couldn't believe the turn of events. He needed his father and mother there to help. They were in the throne room and he couldn't send anyone to them. What was he to do?

"You idiot! I'm new to this world! I didn't know you from Jack before a week ago!" Lorena shouted back.

"Liar. You can channel!"

Lorena sighed and decided to let go of _saidir_. What good was it doing anyway? It was only making him hysterical. She slowly let her weaves fall apart and stood in front of the enraged man defenseless from his power. She lifted her midnight dark eyes to his and waited.

Rand felt her let go of the One Power. He watched warily as she lifted her head and stared into his eyes. He almost lost his concentrarion as her eyes shifted from midnight to sea green. He blinked to clear his head. He didn't just see that.

"Would an Aes Sedai sent from the White Tower stand before you defenseless? Would she come to you without her Warders?" she asked calmly.

Rand sneered. "These men could be your Warders, woman."

Lorena snorted in laughter. "Them, my Warders? Not happening, Rand."

"Hey!" Seth complained.

"If you don't believe me, cut me off from the One Power. What Aes Sedai could live with her power sealed?" she questioned, pointing to herself.

Rand nodded and wove the seal and placed it over the woman. She didn't flinch or show any signs of loss. What was happening here?

"I take it that you have sealed me away from _saidir_? Good. Now listen here, you spoiled brat," Lorena continued her tirade. "I am Lady Lorena Diar, Master of the Bastard Sword and heir to the Order. My father and our friends came at the behest of Ian's father. He told us of your plight and the things that are happening here.

"I didn't think it possible, but I stand here in this world. On my world, there are no men or women that can channel. We have illusionists and the like, but nothing like this. We do not have access to the One Power. I have lived my whole life without this power so it doesn't bother me as much as it would one of the Aes Sedai.

"As for you still holding onto the belief that the Tower wants you, keep it. That woman, Elaida, wants you so she can control Andor. From what I have learned, the woman is nuts. I would never associate with a place that takes a man, or woman, and makes them do what they want. That is slavery. Stilling and gentling are abhorant to me. Men that channel do not scare me. Women, such as Elaida, that abuse power scare me.

"The only power that I have is in my sword arm and my limbs. That is the only power I want. The power to defend the ones I love and the ones that can't defend themselves. I fight for what I believe in, not what someone tells me to. I am not some mindless git. Unlike you, al'Thor."

Rand listened to her rant and rave, not understanding half of what she said. He did understand her about the Tower and Elaida. The Red bitch was always after him. Why was she not scared of men that could channel? She claimed to come from a world that had no access to the One Power, but yet she could touch it here and was fast with her weaves. He caught the last of her rant and stared at her, blinking. He, some mindless git?

"You would call me mindless?" he asked, curious.

Lorena smiled inwardly, at least he was listening. "Yes, mindless."

Rand let go of _saidin_ and sank onto the chair behind him. He motioned for the others to sit. "How?"

Lorena needed something to drink first before she answered. She calmly strode over to the wine decanter and poured herself a goblet of the deep red wine. Sipping from it, she came back and sat in a chair to the side and in front of Rand.

"You continue to distrust those that were once your friends, even the ones that you grew up with. You don't want to have anything to do with the al'Vere girl at all because she is Aes Sedai. You knew she was going to the Tower to train as one. Why do you distrust her? The answer to that is because you let your fear of being gentled and going mad rule you.

"The women in the Tower have split because of Elaida's actions. Egwene is trying to over-throw that crazy woman so that you can continue on saving the world. The only problem with this situation is that you won't save it without her help. You will need to have men _and_ women working together to win this war, Rand, not fighting each other."

Rand listened and wondered at her wisdom. She was very young, maybe no older than seventeen or so. Something was fishy with her.

"How old are you, my lady?" he asked.

Lorena blinked a few times before answering. "I am four and twenty. Why?"

"Just curious." He would have to let the Wise Ones and Cadusuane have a talk with Lorena. She seemed to have a head on her shoulders. Maybe she could get the old bat off his back for a while.

"Sir," Ian interuppted. "I will personally vouch for these people. They are here to help you. Lorena only recently found out that she could channel. She knows that I can channel yet she treats me as a man, not some monster. Leonard has been here before. He knows and does not care. Their Order has been around for thousands of years, working to help this world apart from their own since before the Breaking."

"Alright, Ian. I will take your word on this," Rand sighed, rubbing his temples. All this talking was making his head hurt.

"My lord?" Lorena knelt in front of Rand, but not to close. "If I may, I would like to pledge my sword."

Rand looked up and stared at the mercurial woman. One minute she rants and the next she makes pledges all sweet. Would it ever end?

"I, Lorena Diar, daughter heir of the Holy Order of the Dragon's Heart, pledge my sword and my life to the Dragon Reborn. I swear on this blade and on this blood." With that, Lorenasluipped her dagger free and sliced her palm. She drew her sword and ran it under the drops of crimson. "May this oath be forever or until I am released in death."

Lorena watched in fascination as her blade drank the blood into itself. The crimson of fresh blood lit the blade in a dull red light and the scrollwork seemed to writhe in delight. She watched as the sapphires in the hilt and cross turned ruby. She dropped the blade, but it floated in the air and lifted, hilt first, into the air. The dull red color became brighter as the blood seeped further into the blade. As the blood drained into the hilt, Lorena's blade became silver again, except for the pommel. The sapphire that had been set there was now a deep crimson ruby. Slowly, the blade floated down to her hands.

Whirling around, Lorena asked in a whisper, "Father?" before she passed out.

"Lorena!" Ian cried out, catching the pale woman. "Leonard, what happened?"

Rand had watched all this in awe. He had never seen the like before. Blood drinking swords, color changing gems, and fealty swearing world travelers. He became concerned when she turned an unsightly shade of white and fainted. He called for the Maidens and had her taken to a room. They all waited as a Maiden was sentafter Ian's mother. Rand wasn't pleased, but it was necessary.

Ian again asked Leonard what had happened and Rand came over to hear the explanation.

Leonard wiped a tear from his cheek and turned toward the waiting faces of Seth, Donald, Ian, and Rand. Taking a calming breath he explained the best he could without breaking his vows.

"Lorena has sworn her life to the Dragon Reborn. What she did, The Oath, is not to be taken lightly. Her life is now yours to command, Rand. She cannot be tossed aside. Lorena's heart was in that oath. I have heard of initiates giving their heart to a cause instead of a dragon, but not in my lifetime. It seems that you are her dragon, my lord."

"I don't want it, Master Peeks," Rand stated, cutting the air with his hand.

"You may not want it, my son, but you have it. She has given her Oath. It cannot be forsworn. It would kill her," Leonard snapped, staring the younger man down.

"Light!" Rand swore. "I won't do it. I didn't ask it of her. She just swore. It's not my responibility!"

"Stop acting like a child. She knew what she was doing. If she dies, she dies. If not, good. I prefer her alive," Leonard ground out.

Ian could only pray that Lorena was alright. He didn't want her to die, but he also didn't want her to forswear herself. He waited as his mother flew by them and entered the room.


	9. Descension

A/N: -kicks idiots at work and stumbles back from the inferno that was hell on earth- Konichiwa! Back again from the pits of hell. Never ever work at a place that makes you tend fire pits from 2AM till 5PM. Bah! I say! Anyway, now I have all the time in the world to work on this Fic. Weeeee!

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Do Not Go Gently

Chapter 9

Descension

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Ian stood outside the room. He didn't know what to do. He needed to know what had happened in the salon. He watched as Rand and the others paced, the women having locked them out in the hall. It wasn't long after his mother had rushed through that Grim and several Wise Ones had stormed past the men and snorted. Ian had looked to Rand and all he had done was snort and shrug his shoulders. Min, for all her help, was pacing outside the room too. He wondered why she wasn't in there with the rest of them. 

"What is taking so long?" Ian railed, his right eye twitching. "They've been in there for almost an hour!"

Leonard growled at the young Asha'man. "They will be done when they are done. Lorena is recovering from the Oath. Give her time."

Rand stood off to the side, avoiding the other men. He didn't know if he should trust them. The smaller of the two was glaring at him, as if the woman's faint had been his fault. He hadn't asked for her to pledge her life to him! He had to many to keep up with now. And if she died as a result of this Oath, she would be another name for him to memorize and add to the growing list of people he had helped lead to their death. Sometimes he wished that he had never left the Two Rivers.

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"And just where did you find this girl, Aes Sedai?" A young Wise One, with pale honey hair and grey eyes asked. She was hunched over Lorena studying her dress and sword, as well as her face.

Trisain shooed the nosy female away and bent back to her work, saying, "I didn't 'find' her, Wise One. She came here with her father to help us at Tarmon Gaiden." She wove a sliver of Spirit and Air and sent it into the girl's body for yet another attempt to jump start her mind with pure oxygen. She wasn't hurt nor was she in a coma, but it seemed that her mind wouldn't release her from it's traps and terrors. Whatever she had been losing sleep over these last few days was coming for her again. Not getting anywhere with her weave, Trisain sighed and slumped into a chair.

Cadusuane, dressed in the garb of a Wise One, drew her brow down in a fearsome frown. What was the girl's problem? From what she had gathered, she had pledged her life to Rand after chewing him out and calling him a mindless, spoiled, and scared little git. She wished that she could have been someone's shadow when she had done that. Her opinion of the girl was given a boost for that little tirade. It was raised more when she was told of the Oath she had taken for the Dragon. He may not like it, but she was now his to command. Knowing him, he would probably send her off to Tear to play chase with the invading crazies. She hoped the girl was alright, she had a lot to discuss with her before she was sent on her way.

Grim scowled at Trisain and shook her head. Sometimes her friend was too tenderhearted to do what needed to be done. Muttering under her breath, Grim marched over to the divan that Lorena was draped on and slapped her hard across the face. She noticed her eyelids twitching and slapped her again, harder. She just hoped she didn't bruise easy. That last one did it. Lorena rolled her eyes around her head and rubber her jaw where Grim slapped her.

Coming to her senses with a major pain in the jaw, Lorena sat up and griped, "Who the hell slapped my jaw halfway to the moon? What happened?"

Trisain pushed Grim out of the way and looked into Lorena's eyes. They were focusing perfectly if drowsily. "You fainted, dear."

"I have never fainted in my life!" Lorena declared, swinging her legs to the floor. She stood and checked all of her weapons. She had to look at her sword twice. "Where is my sword?"

Grim and Trisain exchanged looks. Grim nodded and Trisain motioned to the Maidens to let the men in. Lorena was still demanding to know where her sword was when the five men and Min rushed into the room. Trisain noticed that Cadusuane was getting that look on her face as if she had eaten something sour, or someone had stolen her favorite plaything.

"Lorena!" Leonard rushed to her side and wrapped her in a bear hug. "I thought that the Oath was to much for one so young."

Lorena sighed and smiled at her adopted father. "I'm made of stronger stuff than that, Father. You should know that, you trained me." The last with a bright smile.

Leonard nodded and pressed her sit back down. "Lorena, I have seen men and women that have not survived the Oath. Usually, our people wait for several years before they decide to take the Oath. They needed to train their bodies to take the pain and shock. I am very surprised that your body was able to take the Oath at so young an age."

"What do you mean, Leonard?" Lorena asked, surprise touching her voice.

"I haven't had a chance to tell you all the things of our Order, things that you will need to know before I give the Order into your keeping," he stated, staring into her eyes, willing her to drop the matter until a later date.

"Hai, Master," Lorena answered, bowing her head.

"Now if you are all satified that she is in working order, I want a chance to talk to her, as do the Wise Ones and Maidens." Cadusuane had lasted as long as she was going to. "Now all the men out! Shoo!" 

"I'm not going to like this am I?" Lorena muttered half to herself.

"Not likely, Lore," Grim answered, giving her a toothy grin. 

Cadusuane glared at the Green before focusing her eyes on the newcomer. "So, girly, you're the new toy that Saris brought back with him. He seems to have picked a good one this time. You can fight and you have the One Power at your fingertips. Not bad for a stripling. Tell me girl, have you ran across anything unusual since you have been here? People? Animals?"

"And who are you again?" Lorena demanded, crossing her arms and going glare for glare with the oldest and most venerated of the Aes Sedai.

Cadusuane glared back, then broke into a smile. "She's got guts, this one. So, Lady Diar, you are a very powerful person without the benefit of the One Power. I am Cadusuane Sedai, late of Tar Valon, advisor to al'Thor. Whatever possessed you to go toe-to-toe with the Dragon to begin with?"

Lorena thought that one over for a second. "I'm not really sure. I had heard from Saris about him and his actions over the last few months when I arrived. I can condone some of his actions, but some are just plain stupid. I mean I would have been pissed too, if I had been kidnapped, locked into a small chest, cut off from the One Power, that being my only source of defense against a full circle of women, and was told that I was going to do the White Tower's dirty work for them. I don't blame him for going insane on those women. They deserved it!" Lorena stormed, her eyes going black in her anger. "But for him to mistrust any woman that has the Power is stupid. Two of the women that traveled with him to Andor, the three of them had grown up together, treating each other as siblings. The boy is scared and he doesn't know who to trust in this crazy world. And frankly, I think he should be left completely alone to let him know that he had a lot of people he could turn to. I know that is what he wants most of all, but soon he will realize that he depends on those same people to keep him sane."

Cadusuane nodded and listened. The girl was wise beyond her time and she could credit that to her old soul. Her soul had been traveling this Weave for a long time. Cadusuane looked to her sister Aes Sedai. They looked back at her, blinking as if to ask her what she was thinking. She grunted to herself and sighed. It would take them a long time to realize what she knew after so many decades.

"Wise words from one so young," Cadusuane stated, pouring goblets of wine. She handed them out to the group and found a comfortable chair to perch on. "The boy won't listen to anyone anymore. I am surprised that he listens to Min or Aviendha," she snorted into her wine.

"So what would you require of me, Aes Sedai? I know this isn't a hen pecking type of group, so let's get to the bare bones of the matter," Lorena griped, rubbing her temples. Trisain made to offer to assist, but Lorena smiled her thanks and waved her away. "I'll be fine. I'm just a little dizzy, is all." She glanced again at her sword. "How did the sapphire become a ruby?"

Grim answered, "It drank your blood."

"My what!"

"When you pledged your life to the Dragon Reborn, you slit your palm and let the blood flow over your sword. It drank it in and floated in the air when you released it. The sword glowed golden and then reverted back to it's natural state, except for the sapphire. It took the blood that you had used to seal your Oath and it keeping it, to signify your Oath," Grim stated matter-of-factly.

"Interesting," Lorena murmured. "Well, all I have to do now is to get my orders from al'Thor." She looked up and noticed that the Maidens, Wise Ones, and Cadusuane were staring at her. She smiled nervously and looked over to Grim and Trisain. "Why are they staring at me like that?"

Grim and Trisain shared a glance and looked at Lorena with pity. "We are so sorry, Lore. We can't help you here."

"What do you mean? Grim? Trisain?" Lorena called, staring after the two retreating women. "Guys!" She yelled as the remaining women descended on her. 


	10. New Family

A/N: Sorry for the long time in updates. Things have been pretty hairy around here with all the work I've been doing. Not to mention reading the newest book in the series. So some things will be sped up to catch up to the series. So here comes the newest chapter. Read and enjoy! 

Do Not Go Gently

Chapter 10

New Family

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Lore yawned and opened her eyes lazily. She looked around her room back at the country estate and let her head fall back with a thump onto the pillows. The last few weeks had been trying. After her little outburst with the Dragon Reborn, he had growled at her and effectively stayed as far away from her as possible. He had then left her in the clutches of those harpies, the Wise Ones and Cadusuane. They had probed her for answers as to who and what she was. Then the Maidens has bodily tossed her into thier ranks to train. Apparently because she had sworn an Oath to him to be his to use.

He body ached from all the training they had put her through, testing her abilities to use the different weapons she was given. She had failed horribly with the spears and archery, though her hand-to-hand was only slightly better than thiers, earning her grudging respect from them. They even let her use her sword to defend herself and had been given laughing insults at the "overgrown knife" she was swinging around. After several days of the verbal abuse, the Maidens had started to teach her a little of thier spear techniques. She was now familiar with some of the stances they used to throw off attacks and had even picked up some of the hand-talk, realizing a little belatedly that is was a short-hand version of sign language. She could understand some of the signs made, but not all. She thanked her lucky stars that she had learned the skill from one of her deaf relatives. Often when they though she wouldn't be able to understand them, the Maidens would make a snide remark, fingers flashing, then laughing while looking her way. Lore would only smile at them as they tittered behind thier hands. One day she would surprise the hell out of them and respond back to those insults.

But for now, all she wanted was a bath and some breakfast before she had to train with Grim and Trisain. Moaning slightly from the pain in her thighs and lower back, Lore pulled on the rope for her water and dug around her things. She was after a pair of soft buckskin breeches and one of the white lawn shirts currently floating around her wardrobe. She fished out a pair of underwear and a white bra. She looked at the underwear with displeasure and stuffed them back into one of the hidden drawers inside the wardrobe. She's rather not wear the things. She was becoming more and more used to not wearing them. They bunched in the wrong places when she was training.

Hearing the sounds coming from the other room, Lore groggily made her way to the bathroom and stripped out of her boxers and t-shirt. She slipped into the steaming bath and promptly dunked her head then reached out for the bottle of jasmine shampoo next to the tub. After quickly bathing, Lore rushed to dress and make her way to the gazebo. She was glad that it wasn't as cold as it could be and flipped a smile at one of Grim's Warders as she bounced up the steps, immediately embracing _saidir_ and enclosing the gazebo in privacy.

"You're a little late, Lore," Grim muttered, leaning forward.

Lore shot her a look and settled onto the cushions on the floor. "I'm sore." Trisain made a sound, but Lore waved her back. "I've had worse from Father. So what are we working on today?"

Trisain looked to Grim and back. "Today we work on nothing. We rest."

Lorena opened her mouth but stopped when Grim held up hand to forestall her protests. "Lorena, things have progressed nicely since you started your training. For now, we'll break for a couple of weeks. I need to rest and Trisain has things here at the estate she needs to take care of. As for you, you have been training these last six weeks. You look like hell, girl. You need rest."

Lorena blinked but leaned back into the cushions. "I do?" She patted at her long hair, just noticing the frazzled look it had gained even after her bath.

"Yes, Lore," Trisain said. "We think you need a break. You really do look tired and hurt. Leonard asked that we let you be for now."

Lorena sighed and nodded. "I guess I could ease off a bit. I really am tired and my body aches from all the abuse I've given it." She smiled up at the worried Yellow and Green. "I think I might take a nice ride to the river. I haven't had time to ride and I miss it."

Grim smiled. "You do that. Do whatever you want for the next couple of weeks. You know enough Weaves to help you out if it comes to that and you are an excellent fighter. I don't think you will have many problems if we let you out of our sight for long."

Lore growled in her throat and tossed a smaller cushion at the older woman. Grim squealed in mock terror and tossed a pillow at the drak haired girl. Soon peals of laughter and soft screams filled the gazebo and out beyond, Lorena cutting the Weaves since they were no longer needed. Three Warders stared at the happily laughing women, staring in appreciation at the amounts of flesh flashing in and out of the sun.

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Ian heard laughter drifting from the garden. He shook his head and peered over the graden wall. He blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing what he thought was his mother, Grim, and Lorena sprawled around the gazebo floor. Grim had fallen back onto Lorena's knees, her hair spread across Lorena's lap. His mother! was on her stomach, dress hitched up to her thighs, feet swinging in the air, with her chin propped up on her hands. And Lore was laughing at something Grim said, throwing her head back as peals of throaty laughter poured into the air. He watched as her somewhat frazzled hair swung away from her face, not understanding why he wanted to take her laughter into himself.

He smiled and decided to leave the women alone. He would find a way to ask about it later, but for now he needed to finish the latest problems that had arisen around the estate. He almost regretted leaving the capital behind, but he was glad of it. Lorena had been training with those insane women from the Waste. He had rarely seen the woman, except when she came back bloody and worn to the bone. The few times he had seen her, she had smiled wearily and said it was good training, then would drag herself off to her room. He wondered at times if the Maidens were pushing her to much.

After settling a small dispute over land rights, Ian stretched and headed for the stables. He wasn't surprised to see Lorena tearing out of the stable as he neared. He followed her progress and figured she was heading for the river. Na'fha should be out that way, so she was safe. He snorted as he saddled a grey gelding. He looked out after her and sighed. He just couldn't let her go off by herself. Mounting the horse, Ian kicked him into a canter, not wanting Lorena to get to far ahead of him.

He caught sight of her a few minutes later, her sorrel mare carefully picking her way over the ground. Lorena had tied her hair back in a loose que and seemed to be deep in thought. He made as much noise as he could as he approached, not wanting to spook either one of females. Spooked females were unpredictable.

"Lorena," he called.

Lorena swung around, smiling. "Ian, what brings you out this way? I thought you were working the judge today?" She grinned devilishly as he rode up next to her.

Ian laughed. "I'm done. So what about you? I thought you were off training with Mother and Grim?"

"I was told in no uncertain terms that I was to take a break."

Ian was a little speechless, but he quickly got his tongue back. "A break?"

"Yep. I've been training with those suicidal Maidens and those insane Wise Ones for the last six weeks. I'm bruised in places I forgot and have bled more in that time than I have ever bled. I'm tired and sore, Ian." She said the last with a little sigh, making her seem younger than she was.

He gave her a confused look. "Then why are you out riding if you are sore?"

Lorena shot him an exasperated look but answered him. "I've not had a chance to ride, so I'm riding. Besides, my ass is the least bruised."

Ian was so startled by her language that he almost stopped his horse. He knew she could be crude at times, but really. Not wanting to break the companionable mood, he half-smiled and continued to follow her. She shifted in the saddle a few times, trying to find a better seat.

"So," he said into the silence, "what are you going to do with your free time?" It was lame, but it was the only thing he could think of.

Lorena shot a glance over her shoulder and shrugged. "Not sure. I want to see more of this world. I want to know more about it. I want to meet this Egwene al'Vere. I want to see these Seanchan I keep hearing of." She gestured with her free hand as she spoke.

"The Seanchan! Why?"

Lorena narrowed her eyes as she looked back at him. "I want to know about these 'invaders' that leash a woman that can channel. I want to know about their culture. Just call it curiosity."

By this time, they had reached the river and dismounted. Tying the horses to sturdy branches, they strolled to the river. Lorena sat on a rock and pulled her boots and socks off. She dug her toes into the loam next to the bank and leaned back, the sun striking her hair with streaks of red. It was so warm today. She was thinking of taking a swim, but she hadn't expected Ian's presence. He had a way about him that threw her off. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Stretching in the warm sunlight, Lorena eased to her feet and made her way to the horses. She reached over to her saddlebag and pulled out a fluffy looking towel. She glanced around trying to spot Ian, but didn't see him anywhere around. She shrugged and went back to the bank. She looked around one last time but still couldn't find Ian. Erasing him from her mind, Lorena divested herself of her breeches, leaving the white lawn shirt hanging almost to her knees. She thought of taking that off as well, but she might give Ian a heartattack if he saw her running around in just her bare skin. She giggled and stepped off the bank. Sucking in a quick breath at the chilling water, Lorena quickly made her way to the middle and submerged completely.

Taking several strokes further out, Lorena surfaced and gulped in air. Her hair spread around her on the water, tangling with her arms. She smiled and swam toward the bank. Assured that she was close, Lorena sank back into the water on her back and anchored a hand to a small rock so she could just stare up at the sky. It relazxed her and her mind started to drift.

Ian watched the whole scene from his perch from the branches of an oak hanging over the water. He didn't know what the girl had planned when she had rode out here, but had been pleasently surprised when she had came back for a towel. The water had to be cold, yet she was swimming in it and was now just floating on the surface. Her face was relaxed as she drifted on the current, a hand grasping a rock under the water. Her shirt was transparent on her bronze skin. He could tell that she was bronze from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. It appeared to him that she would rather be floating around naked in the water than clothed in that shirt and that funny piece she wore to stabalize her breasts.

Lorena could feel eyes on her. She tried to focus on the area that the feeling was coming from and realized it was from two different sources. One from above her and the other was to her left, on the other bank. She didn't feel threatened by the one above, it was the other one that was giving her the willies. She slowly sank into the water, getting her footing along the slick mud and rock strewn bottom. Keeping her attention focused on getting out of the water and to her boots, Lorena acted as natural as she could exiting the water. She walked nonchalantly to where the towel was resting and made a show of drying her self off.

Glancing down, she noticed that the lawn shirt was see through. Wonderful, she thought. Ian is probably watching me and has seen everything. She shrugged it off, not having time to worry about that. She was more concerned over the presence that was still watching her. Easing over to her boots, she reached down and grabbed the boot knife from inside. She hid it in the folds of the towel and continued to dry her hair, peeking out to try to get a fix on who or what was watching her. She almost missed it, her concentration was so fixed.

There! Lorena threw herself back and spun, hearing something whiz past her and thunk into a tree. She dropped the towel and sprinted for the river. Ten meters downstream was several rocks that she could cross and get across to confront whoever had just tried to kill her. Running fast, Lorena launched from the bank and barely touched the rocks before she sprung on to the next. She was across in only a few seconds, but her target could have moved to a better position. Narrowing her eyes, Lorena paused. Regulating her breathing, Lorena listened for anything to help her place her target. Some birds were still chirping, so it wasn't all that dangerous. She listened harder, barely catching the sound of feet hitting hard packed dirt. Lorena went after it.

She wove in and out of the brush, trying not to tip her attacker that she was closing in on him. She sniffed the air as it blew by her, catching the scent of sweat and smoke. Mistake. Lorena slowed and crept up further, noticing that there wasn't any sound coming from the surrounding forest. She tensed, waiting for him to make his move. Her eyes widened as she sensed something moving behind her. She rolled to the right and around a tree, barely registering the vieled face of Na'fha as he completed his swing and she came to a halt on the other side. She could have kicked herself for that simple trick. There wasn't anytime for recriminations as the Stone Dog rushed around the tree and kicked out at her head. Lorena dove again to the side, rolling onto her shoulder and up to her feet. She backed away trying to keep the man in her sights.

"I see you, Lorena," Na'fha quipped, coming to his feet and taking a ready pose.

Lorena smiled, but it was more of a snarl, as she said, "I see you, Na'fha."

"Would you like to dance the spears with me?" he asked as he swung with a left at her unprotected right side.

Lorena blocked and launched a quick uppercut. "I will dance with you."

Both smiled and broke apart. Lorena showed her knife and raised a brow. Na'fha nodded and shucked his buckler and spears, taking his long knife from his left thigh. Lorena noticed that he was just as bronze as she and was wearing only a loincloth. His wiry mucles gleamed as if they has been greased. She lifted her right arm and sniffed at it. It smelled of smoke and animal fat. She nodded and pointed to herself. Na'fha blinked but reached into a small pouch on his right thigh and tossed a small pot to her. Lorena stripped off the white lawn shirt and her bra. She opened the pot and dipped a couple of fingers into it. She smeared the grease onto her skin and tossed the pot back.

"Thanks, Na'fha," she said, taking her knife up again.

"No problem. Ready to dance?" He smiled as she took a defensive stance, holding the knife blunt side against her right forearm with the tip at her elbow.

"Come, let's dance, Stone Dog!" Lorena yelled, surprising the older man as she flipped the knife up and lunged for his legs.

Na'fha grinned and danced away, kicking out with his left leg and catching the woman in the ribs as she flew by. He heard her grunt of pain, but she rolled off her left shoulder, pivoted, and lunged again. To easy, he thought, moving again to the right. He watched in appreaciation as she pivoted again and went to the right, dropping to do a sweeping side kick to his upper thighs. He couldn't miss it, so he took it and rolled. He barely had enough time to get his feet under him when she was on him again. She drove him back, her face contorted in a beautiful mask of battle lust. A true Maiden, though a wetlander. He blocked her attempts to cut his ribs, giving her small, stinging cuts to her arms and legs. He missed one of her swings and felt the metal slice into his flesh. He winced in pain, but kept up his defense. He saw an opening and dropped, tangling his legs in hers. He fell on her and pinned her arms above her head. She snarled in rage and amazed him by bucking and tossing him over her head. She wrenched her hands free and growled.

He quickly spun to his feet. His eyes widened when she stayed on her hands and knees, glaring at him and snarling. Strange, he thought. He barely registered that she was covered in blood, one of her eyes swelled shut, and her lip was split and bleeding. He was about to call a stop to the fight when she growled low in her throat and launched at him from all fours. He was so surprised by her action he let her take him down, her knife to his throat, her knees digging into his elbows, as her feet dug into his abdomen. He looked up to her. She was smiling? He had definitely thought she was going to kill him.

"Do you yeild the dance to me, Stone Dog?" she rasped, leaning down to whisper in his ear.

He felt hot blood drip onto his face. He had never really like fighting with women. It made his heart hurt, but it was the way of the Aiel. The Maidens had made the Stone Dogs thier personal punching bags. He had never fully understood why that was.

"I yeild, Maiden," Na'fha finally replied.

Lorena smiled and lifted herself carefully from Na'fha's chest. "Good dance, Na'fha. I haven't had this much fun since my fight with Ian." She helped the Aiel man to his feet and retrieved her shirt. "Come, let's bathe this smelly stuff from our skins and I'll treat our wounds."

Na'fha removed his shoufa and grinned at her. He walked to her and ruffled her hair. "You remind me of my sister. You act just like her."

Lorena laughed and guided Na'fha back to the horses after he gathered his discarded clothes and weapons. After a few minutes, Lorena coaxed him into the water with her and washed the grease from his body. She treated the knife wounds on his back, ribs, and arms. She winced as she applied the salve to his ribs. She hadn't thought that it had been very deep, but it was and Na'fha grunted every time she touched it.

"I'm sorry, Na'fha. I didn't think it was that deep," she apologized later as she washed the grease from her back and treated the small cuts and scrapes there as well.

Na'fha waved her apology aside. "I've had worse. It will another battle scar to show off to the Maidens." He chuckled to himself. Lorena thought about that for a second and laughed. "I see that you have the same sense of humor as we Aiel do."

Lorena smiled over her shoulder at him as he pushed her hair over her left shoulder. "Not really, but I can see the hidden meaning in what you joke about. It usually scares people that I can see that far into what they say, but it helps me to know a situation better." She shrugged and looked back again. "I've never had a brother before."

Na'fha slowed his minstrations and thought over that. It wasn't strange to not have siblings in your house, but the septs and clans took care of all the children, so there were always children around and grew up with as if they were your siblings. He wondered what kind of world it was that she grew up in that didn't have that kind of social life. He smiled at her sad little face and ruffled her hair again.

"Well, you have me now, little Maiden," he teased, laughing with her.

(a) (a) (a)

Ian strolled from the surrounding undergrowth and frowned at the scene he saw. He had decided to leave the river to Lorena so she could get dressed when he had seen her leaving the water. He thought that a nice little hike to town to grab something to eat would be a nice treat on this warm afternoon. He hadn't expected to come back to a scene of Lorena sitting in between his best friend's knees in her bare skin. They were laughing and Na'fha was bathing Lorena's back. He nearly stormed up to them and demanded to know what was going on. He calmed himself and listened to thier conversation. He nearly fell over when he noticed the taped up ribs on Na'fha and the bandages that were wrapped around Lorena's arms.

Sighing, he made enough noise to alert them to his presence and came into view. "I see you two have been-" he stopped dead and stared at the huge black eye that Lorena was sporting. "Blood and bloody ashes! What the hell happened to you?" He tried to ignore her nakedness like Na'fha seemed to be doing.

Na'fha and Lorena looked to one another and grinned. Lorena gave him a lopsided smile and answered. "It was a little sibling dispute. Nothing more."

Ian's eye twitched. "Sibling dispute? What?"

Na'fha grinned at his near-brother. "I've adopted the little Maiden here as my sister."

Ian's eye twitched again. "You did what?"

Lorena sighed and stood, wrapping a final bandage over her lower forearm and around her hand. "It means, you idiot, that I have a brother now. You would think someone stole what little brains the Gods gifted you with." She casually walked over to her horse and pulled out a spare shirt and slipped it over her head, wincing slightly as the bandages pulled at her injuries. She would find her bra some other time. Shrugging it into place, Lorena made for her breeches, socks and boots. After shoving the tail of her shirt into her breeches, Lorena jammed her boot knife back into it's sheath. "I'm more sore than I was yesterday!" she complained.

Na'fha had pulled his clothes on as well, but stopped with his shoufa barely over his head when he heard her words. "Yesterday?" Lorena grimaced and explained about her last day of training with the Maidens. Na'fha winced with her and nodded. "Sounds like them."

Ian remembered the lunch he bought and handed out the bread, cheese, and cold ham. He watched as Lorena placed the ham and cheese on the bread and added another slice of bread. She asked if there was anything to spread on the bread and Ian handed her a spicy mustard from his saddlebags. She dolloped it on and ate. She moaned in pleasure and drank from the wineskin Na'fha brought with him. Ian shook his head when he sniffed the contents but drank his fill, knowing the horses could make it back to the estate if they became blind drunk.

The afternoon passed in relative tranquility. The three sat around the river and regaled themselves with tales of adventure more and more fantastic than the last. The oosquai slowly made the trio sleeply. It was late afternoon and they had nowhere to be. Lorena reached into her saddlebag again and pulled a thin blanket out. She set it out in a sunny spot and fell onto it, groaning. The two men went to take care of business, leaving her moaning on the blanket. With the combined training and today's beating, she wasn't feeling that good. The alcohol had lessened the pain, but she all she really wanted was to sleep. Her nightmares had kept her from getting any real rest. It wasn't long before she lay sleeping.

Ian and Na'fha came back a few minutes later. They smiled down on the little female as she snored lightly. Ian shook his head and plopped down near her. She looked so young when she slept, like a little fairy child. He looked over to Na'fha and blinked drunkenly. Na'fha had gathered his gear and was strapping his buckler on.

'Where are you heading off to?" Ian asked, struggling to his feet. He shivered as a cold wind blew through the clearing.

"I've got a lot of ground to cover today. I have a feeling that there isn't something right in this area. Lorena has been having trouble sleeping and she tells me that she keeps seeing a wolf in her dreams. I am going to find one of those yellow-eyed people and bring them to her. Maybe they can help her." Na'fha answered. He shifted his spears on his back and winced as the cut on his ribs started to throb. "I should be back in three or four days."

Ian rubbed at his head and gave Na'fha a half smile. "May you always find shade, brother."

"And may you always find shade, brother." With that Na'fha trotted off into the forest.

Ian stared after his friend. Lorena having nightmares? He shook his head and remembered the sleeping girl. He watched her for a few moments and reached for a half empty waterskin. He drank his fill to rid himself of the cottony feel of his mouth. His head had cleared enough for him to make his way back to the house, but he couldn't bring himself to wake the sleeping Lorena. He gently sat next to her, watching her. He couldn't get the feeling out of his head that she was important for some reason.

She was hot tempered sometimes, but it was usually only when she was provoked. He wondered about her life before she came to this world of his. What was she like when she was a child? What were her dreams and her fears? He wanted to know more about her. He only knew what he had gleaned from Leonard. She had been raised by her grandparents when her parents were killed in an accident. He wanted to know what kind of child she was. Ian wanted her.

He nearly jumped when she curled up next to him, her head resting on his thigh as her left hand curled into a ball on his knee. He lifted a strand of her hair away from her face as she snuggled closer. He could wait for a while before he woke her. For the time being, he would just watch over her as she slept.


	11. Camping Anyone?

Do Not Go Gently 

Chapter 11

Camping Anyone?

(a) (a) (a)

The chill in the air woke her from a deep and, thankfully, dreamless sleep. She didn't immediately open her eyes, as she burrowed deeper into the warmth by her side. A chuckle greeted her waking ears and a hand brushed aside a strand of hair that had moved across her face as she had slept. Groaning at the newly awakened pains invading her battered and bruised body, Lorena cracked on eye open and rolled it around her surroundings. A grinning face greeted her roving eye.

"I see the lady has awakened," Ian quipped, smiling down into her sleep filled face.

Lorena grunted and rolled away from the warm man. Throwing an arm over her face, she lay still for a moment. "If I wasn't hurting in a thousand places, I would kick your overgrown ass."

"Must you be so crude?" he asked, sighing as if it were a problem.

Lorena lifted her arm and cocked an eyebrow at her companion. "Get used to it. I won't change my speech to soothe those delicate and aristocratic ears." She smiled and sat up. "Besides, I'm sure you've heard worse."

Ian frowned at her. "Not from a lady."

Laughing, Lorena punched his arm lightly. "Well, I am anything but." Looking at him, she said, "Don't get me wrong, I was raised to be a lady and I can act the part, but a lady can only go so far in the real world." Her brow knitted as a thought crossed her mind. "If I'm to fight in this war, I don't think I can afford to have the refined manners of a court lady when I kill a man or woman."

Ian stood and helped Lorena to her feet. He didn't like the image of her skewering a man on her sword. "There really isn't any guarantee that you will."

Shaking out the blanket, Lorena folded it. She shook her head as she glanced back at him. "Come off it, Ian. We both know that I will kill. That is why our Order is here. Your father didn't ask us here to just sit around and look pretty." Grabbing the nearly empty waterskin, she squeezed a little into her mouth. "I can take a life, but it will trouble me. I don't like the idea of death, but it's a natural part of living and one must accept it." She tossed the skin to him and made for the horses. Changing the subject, she asked, "Where's Na'fha?"

"He went hunting," Ian hedged, not wanting her to know the real reason behind his sudden disappearence. He switched the subject back. "I still don't like the idea of a woman killing. There seems to be something horribly wrong with it."

"Oh, come on!" Lorena swung around, a hand going to her hip. "In my world, women have been fighting for years. We can handle the mental and physical shock of taking a life. When a child is threatend, a mother will kill to protect her young. When my country is threatened, men and women take up arms to protect our way of life and the lives of the innocents." Frowning, she looked down at her feet. "I'm not advocating war or killing, it's just that women can handle shock and pain better than men."

Sighing heavily, Ian took the reins of his mount. "I don't want to fight with you, Lorena."

Smiling half-heartedly, Lorena mounted. "Me either, Ian." She winced as she settled into the saddle. "I'm sore, tired, and cranky. Forgive my rotten mood?"

Grinning now, Ian hopped into the saddle. "You're forgiven."

Laughing, the two set out for the estate in better spirits than when they had left. Taking it easy, they stabled the horses an hour later. Agreeing to spend the evening playing billiards, they parted to dress for supper.

(a) (a) (a)

Leonard puffed on his pipe happily. It had been a eventful six weeks to say the least. Lorena had been training with the Maidens and the two Aes Sedai, Ian had been training with Simon and Donald, and Leonard had been going over battle plans and strategies with Saris. After watching Lorena coming back bloody and bruised, he had called for a break. She was tiring and her nightmares were concerning him. Discussing the situation with Saris, they group had retreated to the country estate. It would be good to let Lorena explore the surrounding area before they set off for Tear. He didn't like the idea of going into that nest of vipers, but it was the only way they could gather information on the Seanchan. He dreaded this mission, but it couldn't be helped.

Lifting a wine filled goblet to his lips, he drank the sweet red before turning back to the billiards room. Lorena and Ian were arguing, but it was good to see that they were smiling as they did. Seth and Saris were trouncing Donald and Grim in a game of Rook. He loved the game, but his mind was busy reviewing the strategies and keeping up with everything he would need to aquire before they left on thier journey. He glanced over at Trisain as she sipped from her goblet and flipped the pages of the book she was reading. All in all, it looked very homey. Feeling a tap on his shoulder he looked up.

"Hey, old man," Lorena smiled down at him. "Mind if I have some of that tobacco?"

"You really shouldn't be smoking again, Lore," he chided, handing over the pouch.

Snorting, she opened the pouch and went about making a cigarette. "Let me enjoy my smoke, Leo. I need it after all this training."

He noticed the bandages criss-crossing her arms as the sleeves fell to her elbows as she lifted the cigarette to her lips to seal it. "How did that happen?" he motioned with his pipe.

Lorena stuck the cigarette into her mouth and lit it from a nearby candle. "I was sparring with Na'fha this afternoon." Taking a deep puff, she released the smoke from her lungs creating smoke rings. "I've gained a brother." Raising a brow, Leonard waited. Grinning, Lorena regaled the now rapt Leonard, Trisain, and Ian on her fight with Na'fha. She made Trisain gasp when she described the wounds that had occurred during the brief struggle. "Since Na'fha refuses to have the Power used on him, I cleansed his wounds in the stream, using the mud and water plants for a quick healing salve. I hope he remembers to keep the deep one clean."

Trisain tilted her head. "I thought that when the Aiel spar with one another they do it in a loincloth."

Lorena shrugged. "I'm not sure. Na'fha was wearing one and was coated in grease. I went naked and greased up." She laughed at the shock on Leonard and Trisain's faces. "The Aiel don't view nakedness as most people do. Besides, he's my brother now. I've never felt threatend by him."

"But, you were naked?" Trisain screeched. She blushed when her voice reached the others across the room. They all dropped thier cards and sauntered over.

"What is this about Lore being naked?" Donald asked, grinning.

"Yeah," Seth sniffed, a sour expression in his face. He looked to Saris and Grim who were trying not to laugh.

Lorena groaned and retold her story for them. Grim only smiled, as did Saris and Donald. Seth glared at her. Lorena raised an eyebrow at him, fixing him with a stern stare. "What is the problem, Seth?"

"For God's sakes, Lorena, you were naked in front of two men and you aren't ashamed?" he ground out, fists balling at his sides.

Lorena narrowed her eyes at the small man. "I'm a grown woman, Seth. I can do whatever the hell I want." Standing she pushed her face into his reddening one. "You can wipe the rage and hurt from your face and mind, Seth. You are not my keeper and I don't need one. You can accept what I've done or you can go hang for all I care." She lowered her voice to a silky purr, laced with command. "I'm fast and I'm deadly. Do not _fuck_ with me. If you do, you will have more than a broken nose to nurse."

Seth sputtered. "Who are you to tell me what to do?" He straightened his shoulders and stood to his full height, glaring into her eyes. "You aren't any more special than I am. You are just a soldier like me!"

Lorena smiled dangerously at her comrade. "True. I am just a female, but I am the heir to the Order. You will come to obey me, if not respect me." She gestured around her. "This place means little if I don't have the respect of my Order. Whatever I do in my own time is mine alone. It is not for the others to know about unless I want them too." She tapped his chest with a stiff finger. "What I've shared with everyone here means that I trust you. " She looked to each person. "Seth, you are a trusted member of the Order or you wouldn't be here. I need you to be my eyes and ears when I am deaf and blind. I need you to be my arm when I can't fight. I need you to be my friend when I have none." She stared into his eyes, pleading with him to understand.

"I don't understand, Lorena," he said through gritted teeth. He looked around at each of the people surrounding him, but he couldn't feel see any recriminations in thier eyes.

Lorena shook her head and wrapped a compaionable arm around his shoulders. "I don't understand it either, Seth. I don't want to ruin our friendship. My personal life and professional life are two different entities, but you are close to my heart, my confidant, a dear friend." She pulled back, a smile slipping across her tanned face. "You will you accept my friendship knowing that I won't do anything stupid to ruin our Order?"

Seth understood most of what she said, it was just hard for him to think of her as anything but the heir to the Order and her behavior. Her reputation would reflect on the Order for years to come. He couldn't let her actions tarnish the Order. It might not be fair to her, but the Order was all he had. He lived for it and he wouldn't let anything harm it. Yet, he knew she was being serious, if high-handed.

"I will accept your friendship, Lorena. But," he cautioned, raising a finger to forestall her, "rest assured, you bring shame or harm to this Order, I will take measures to rid that blemish. Your actions don't just affect you, they affect the Order and how we are percieved." He frowned as she laughed.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from a friend. You have a true heart, Seth, otherwise I would have torn you limb from limb as the lies fell from your lips," Lorena whispered in his ear. She grinned as he growled. "Calm down, you maniac. Do I have your trust and loyalty?"

Glaring at the smiling girl, he nodded. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the two shook hands then leaned forward to kiss each other's cheek. Trisain looked to Grim motioning her away from the group watching the now laughing pair.

"That girl is scary," Trisain whispered as she poured herself some more wine.

Grim made a sound of agreement. "She looked a little feral when Seth attacked her like that. I have no doubt that she would have broken him in half. I think she will fit in well with the Green." She giggled at the look Trisain threw her.

"She could still be a Yellow," Trisain muttered, sipping her wine. "She's a natural healer."

"Oh come off it, Tris. We both know the girl is a warrior. I can smell the blood on her," Grim stated, her eyes shuttered. "And I think she may take Seth and Donald as her Warders," she teased. Trisain snorted into her goblet. "Seth is in love with her already. Probably has been for a while. Donald will be a good buffer. His natural charm will soothe ruffled feathers and keep them from killing one another. But then again, I don't have the Sight. She may only take one Warder."

Trisain rolled her eyes. "That would be a blessing. We barely survive having two of yours in the house. Imagine what it would be like if she drug in two or more." She shuddered at the image. "I don't think the house could take it."

Grim poked her friend in the arm. "Leave my Warders out of this. It's not my fault they think I'm in danger whenever a man comes near me."

Hooting in laughter, Trisain poked Grim back. "They tried to kill my son when he kissed your cheek!"

Blushing, Grim recovered. "You know how he is with women." She grabbed Trisain's goblet and drained the entire contents.

Laughing, the pair joined the group again. They spent the rest of the night joking and telling one another stories of past glories and amazing feats. It wasn't long before they split and headed off to bed.

(a) (a) (a)

Clad in black from head to toe, Lorena parried a sharp upswing and countered with a quick thrust. Nimbly side stepping, she shifted into _Stalking Heron_, her right foot pointed forward, the left slightly behind and bent, her sword held across her chest as if ready to strike. She smiled as Seth went into _Lily Blowing in the Wind_, his feet spaced equally apart and his sword held loosely and swaying. They sparred for another twenty minutes before calling an end to the training session.

"You're getting better with those new stances," Lorena panted, wiping the sweat from her face. It had turned cold early that morning, but they had still worked up a sweat. She almost regretted wearing the black outfit. "When are you going to train with Grim's Warders again?" She tossed a waterskin to Seth.

Gulping the cold liquid, he wiped his mouth. "Tomorrow. I don't know why they decided to train me, but after that scene in the billiard room the other night, they've been at me to train."

Lorena had some ideas on that score, but chose to keep them to herself. She wouldn't mind having a Warder. Hell, she might even take Seth as one, but she would have to get Donald too. She grimaced. What would happen if she took one of them into her bed or Gods forbid a non-bonded man? She would have to ask Grim about that later. Since thier fight three days ago, she and Seth had trained as much as possible together. She wanted him to know that she was serious in her determination. That she wouldn't sully the Order with her outrageous behavior. She smiled at the last. _If they only knew what I thought half the time_! Taking her leave of the training field, Lorena waved to Seth telling him she was going back to the house for some lunch. He said something about having lunch waiting with the Warders, leaving from the opposite end of the field.

She was still full of energy despite the heavy sparring. She needed to get away from the estate for a while. Maybe go camping. She could round up Donald, possibly Ian if he wasn't busy, and head out into the forest for a few days. They would need some tents, but she wasn't sure if they had any. A plan forming, Lorena went looking for Trisain. She found the Yellow Sister reading in the library, Saris and Leonard at the other end going over maps.

"Trisain? You have a minute?" She crouched next to her.

Saving her place, Trisain smiled down into the girl's upturned face. "What is it, dear?" Lorena was covered in dirt and smelled of sweat. She didn't looked tired though. In fact, she looked energized.

"You don't happen to have tents for camping, do you?" Lorena asked, a smile tugging at her full lips. "I want to get away from the house for a little while. I'm antsy and I think a few days in the forest will settle me down."

Trisain cocked her head and touched her chin with a blue painted fingernail, tapping it in thought. "I think we have a couple of campaign tents in the armory. They are pretty fair in size and shouldn't be to much trouble for a couple of pack mules to carry," she answered. "Where are you going to camp?"

Lorena thought for a moment and stood, her feet having fallen asleep. She winced as the pins and needles made her wobble. "I was thinking about camping a day's ride southeast, right along the river."

Trisain thought about the spots along that route, a blush staining her cheeks as she thought of one particular spot along that route. "There is a nice place about seven or eight miles from here in that direction. Plenty of grazing area." She motioned Lorena closer, whispering in a conspiratorial voice, "There's a hot springs about three hundred yards from the river. Saris and I built it up into a nice retreat. It's smells of sulphur, but it will keep you warm if you camp near it."

Lorena thanked the Yellow, tracked a footman down, and asked for the tents to be ready for the morning. Now she would have to find Donald. Asking several of the servants, she located him lounging on the veranda. Stepping up to him, Lorena sat on his knees. His eyes popped open at the sudden weight. Grinning, he agreed to come with her. Telling him that they would leave the next morning, she went in search of Ian.

Not having seen him the last few days, she noticed that she missed his presence. He was infuriating at times, but he made her feel welcome and warm. She didn't want to think to hard on that, but her libido kicked in at the oddest times. He was so damn sexy when he trained with the men. She would catch herself watching the play of those lean muscles as he thrust and parried. She stared at his ass as he walked away. Lorena was a red blooded woman and wasn't a stranger to sex. Hell, she hadn't had any in months. Her sex drive hit overdrive whenever she looked at Ian. But, if she approached him sexually, he would probably run away screaming. He was used to being the hunter, not the prey. Ian was used to ladies of the court, not brazen off-worlders.

Shaking her head to clear it, she found Ian in the kitchens eating a light lunch. Greeting the cook, Lorena cut some bread, cheese, and cold ham for her lunch. Stacking them together, she snagged the spicy mustard by Ian's elbow and spread it onto the sandwich. Cook brought her a cool glass of milk. Smiling through the sandwich, Lorena thanked Cook. The two ate in silence, enjoying the food.

After she polished off her lunch, Lorena turned to Ian. "I want to ask you something." Wiping his mouth on a napkin, he raised a brow in question. Smiling brightly, she asked, "Do you want to come camping with me for a few days?"

Ian was taken back by her request. Camping with her would be the highlight of his otherwise boring week. "I would love to go camping with you."

Clapping her hands like an excited child, she gushed, "I've got the tents and Donald. All I need now is some food." She whipped away from the table to pester Cook with her list of things she wanted to take for the trip.

Ian blinked. _Camping with her and Donald_? He must have missed something. He waited for her to come back, then queried, "Donald?" They exited the kitchens and entered the garden.

Lorena nodded, "If I don't take him, Seth will be all over my ass. I already have a father and I don't need his prudish concious butting in on my fun. Besides, I think Donald isn't interested in women, so he will be perfect as a chaperone. Like I need one," she muttered. "Besides, I need to get away from the house for a while. If I don't I might go crazy."

Still reeling over her revelation about Donald, he finally caught back up with her. "What do you mean by Donald not being interested in women?"

"He doesn't sleep with women, as in he sleeps with men," Lorena told him matter of factly. "Any problems with that?" She narrowed her eyes to slits, as if daring him to make a comment about it.

Ian threw his hands up. "Not a problem. Some of the men back at the Black Tower were like that. They were good men. Men I could trust, to a degree." He rubbed his neck, a smile lighting his eyes. "Is he bringing a friend along?"

Lorena picked some dirt from under her fingernails and replied, "Probably. I told him if he wanted to, he could. We would be gone for a few days and that no one would think it would look suspicious if I took along three men to protect me." She shrugged. "I'm only taking two tents, so you'll either have to bunk with me or bunk with Donald's friend." _That last was almost to transparent_, she chided herself.

Ian laughed heartily, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'll bunk with you. You are by far the better looking," he tapped her nose with a teasing finger.

Grinning, Lorena told him the time they were leaving, but not where they were going. Ian would probably know where they were going after they got near the hot springs, so all she needed to do was pack some clothes, towels, and head to the stables to arrange the mules to her satisfaction. Bidding Ian a good afternoon, Lorena headed for the stables. She was even more excited now that things were coming together.

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I am sorry for the really late update. I've been working on another fic and I lost this chapter when I was searching for some important papers. Hopefully, you'll forgive me.

This chapter was a pain to write. I had to fight with several areas of it and stopped on the last part for nearly an hour before I could think of something to add to it. Just don't throw things at me. They hurt and my head is soft.

I know where I am going with this fic now. At first it was a little formless, but now I have a plan. Though I doubt that it will survive my crazy plot twists. There will be some hot and slippery scenes in the next couple of chapters. I haven't written straight sex scenes in a while, so this will be fun. **XD**

Updates will be faster. Probably two or three times a month as I work around two other fics, as well as the book I am writing. ...You know, I need a vacation. My poor brain is getting overloaded.

**Don't forget to R&R!**


	12. Of Dreams and Visions

A/N: I am so sorry for the super, super long time for this update. I have been working these last few years and have just now had time to sit down and write some more about Randland.

As the years have went on, I have decided to keep my line of writing. Even though we are now getting to the end of the series, I will be writing 2 more chapters and then jumping a couple of years into the future to catch up to the series. Not much will have changed other than the way our characters will be interacting in the current series timeline. So don't kill me.

Enjoy!

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Do Not Go Gently

Chapter 12

Of Dreams and Visions

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The camping trip had to be cancelled the next morning. Na'fha had come storming into the courtyard dragging a small contingent of Maidens and a strange man with him. Lore wasn't happy about having to cancel her trip, but Na'fha had insisted that she take the time to talk to the man. She agreed and walked to the strange man.

He was only a few inches taller than her and had weird yellow eyes. He smelled of musk and earth and even tilted his head to sniff at her. She blinked a few times, but shrugged and held out her hand. "I'm Lorena."

The man watched her with his eyes and held out his hand. "You smell of the Dark." He carefully reclaimed his hand and sniffed it again. "Na'fha, you were right to bring me to her. She is being hounded by evil." He tilted his head and stared at her. "I am Strager."

Lorena matched his actions and smelled her hand. She could smell the musk heavier on her hand and it smelled of wild dog. She inhaled heavier and could smell wolf. Almost like the wolf she had seen when she had arrived here. She noticed that he was wearing clothing similar to the Aiel's, but more earthy. His scent clung to her hand. It wasn't unpleasent and gave her a sense of safety.

"Sister, please come with us. We have much to discuss with Strager and you must come alone," Na'fha called to her. He turned back the way he came and trotted off.

Lorena shook her head, gave the reins to the stable hand and followed Na'fha. It must be important or he would not have ordered her to follow. Ian, Donald, and Rhys could only watch as she left the courtyard and walked away into the forest.

Ian turned to his companions. "Well, this doesn't bode well."

Donald handed his reins off and grabbed his pike and short sword. "Should I follow her?"

"No. Whatever it is, the Wolf Brother will sense and attack you." Ian watched as Lorena disappeared into the trees. "My only question is why is a Wolf Brother taking her away."

"Wolf Brother?" Donald questioned, a worried frown creasing his brow.

"A Wolf Brother is a man that has bonded with the wolves of this world. He can talk to them and fight with them." Ian called for servants to come claim the horses and mules. "Well, I don't think we will be seeing Lorena for a few hours, if not days. We can only hope that she comes back."

Donald turned his chocolate gaze to Ian. "What do you mean?"

"Strager is a strange one. He can smell evil. And he smelled it on Lore. Let's just hope that he doesn't find any evil in her," Ian said as he turned back to the house.

Donald scowled and stormed after Ian. Grabbing his arm, he spun Ian around. "Explain!" he barked.

Ian shook off Donald's grip. "Don't! You can't go to her, as much as you want to." Ian placed his hand on Donald's shoulder and squeezed. "I know how you feel, but we must not. It could mean our or her death. Na'fha will protect her. The Maidens will not let Strager kill her. You are a good man to want to protect her. We must not let Seth know that she is gone."

Deflated, Donald lowered his head. "How are we going to do that? Seth is in love with her and will chase her down if he thinks she is in danger. He has been training with those psychos for the last month and a half now. He will try to kill them all if she comes to harm." He lifted his head and frowned. "I do believe that he wants to be her Warder. Though she isn't an Aed Sedai, I don't think that that will keep him from trying to become her Warder."

Ian laughed. "Don't worry about Seth. I'm pretty sure that Lorena will take him as a Warder. And you as well."

"Huh?" Donald blinked in surprise. "Why me? I don't sleep with women."

Ian laughed harder. "Warders share a bond with an Aes Sedai or an Asha'man, but they don't necessarily sleep with their wards. I know that we Asha'man bond Aes Sedai to us, but most of the men that have bonded, have taken their mates with them or bond them also. Just to share that deeper connection." Ian smiled at Donald's expression of disbelief. "It's not that bad, man. It's pleasent and awful at the same time. You will share emotions with your bond mate, but it won't affect your emotions for your mate." Ian ushered Donald back into the house. "Several of the Asha'man at the Black Tower have bonded their male mates and haven't complained. You will be fine with Lorena as your ward. She won't demand anything of you besides your loyalty and your sword arm."

(a) (a) (a) (a)

Lorena's feet were starting to hurt. The group had been walking for the last several hours without stopping. Very little had been said between them and only to pass water and some jerky to each other. The Maidens talked with their hand talk and Lorena caught about half of the conversation. She was more interested in where Na'fha and Strager were taking her. She gathered from the two fierce women that they were there to make sure that nothing bad happened to her or to Na'fha. Apparently, the older one was trying to get the Stone Dog to be her mate. She was willing to give up the spear just to be his and to have his children, but he had refused her for the last three or so years. Lorena had a ghost of a smile playing around her mouth as the younger Maiden looked back at her. She scowled and shot off a few rapid fire signs. Busted. Lorena laughed silently so as not to attract the attention of the men and flashed a few hand signals to the women to let them know that she would keep the secret.

A few hours after midday, the group stopped in a clearing deep in the forest. Lorena sank to the ground in relief and pulled her riding boots off. After rubbing her feet, she set off to gather some kindling and firewood in her bare feet. She doubted that they would be returning to the house anytime soon. She just hoped that the Aiel and Strager were off hunting for dinner. She was heartily sick of the jerky. She was pretty sure that she had eaten a pound of the stuff. She wanted juicy and soft meat in her mouth. Silent as a ghost, she gathered the wood and headed back to camp. As she came within a few hundred yards of the site, she caught a whiff of musk. She stopped and lifted her nose into the wind. It was very strong and it wasn't human.

Carefully, she set her bundle down and looked around. She didn't draw her weapon, but her senses were on alert. Easing into sadir, Lorena wove a small weave of Air to bring the scent and sound to her and a smaller one of Earth to let her sense where the wolf was that was stalking her. The wolf froze to her left as if sensing her weaves. She wasn't proficent in the weaves and doubted she would ever be very good at them. She really needed to get Grim to teach her more battle weaves. If she was to learn any of the weaves, it should be from the Green. Grim was a battle Aes Sedai, she knew the best weaves to take to war. And she needed to bond Donald and Seth. She had already decided to ask Donald, but she was pretty sure that Seth would say yes. He hadn't been training with those Warders for nothing.

Sensing the wolf on the move again, Lorena stopped her line of thought and focused on the animal. He was steadily moving toward her left side as if sensing she was weaker on that side. Dropping the Air weave, she left the Earth weave in place and waited. He would come out when he was ready to attack. He was definitely the same wolf as the one she had first ran into. She could remember the scent he carried. She waited till the last second to turn to him as he stepped from the darker forest. She kept her eyes on his chest and away from his eyes so as not to provoke him.

"Black Dawn won't hurt you, Lorena," Strager called out from above her.

Lorena gasped as she jerked her head up to the trees. She had been so focused on the wolf that she missed Strager. He had to have been above her the whole time. She could have kicked herself for not sensing him above her. She really must start paying attention to her surroundings better.

"Well, I hope so, Strager." Lorena glanced back to the wolf to check his position. The large black wolf had sat down and was smiling at her with his tongue lolling from his mouth. "Have you been following me? I saw Black Dawn when I first arrived."

Strager eased from the tree and came to stand with Little Fawn. "He has. He came to find me as soon as you arrived through the Gate."

"Why?" She really wanted to know.

Strager gave the wolf a pat on the head and came to stand by Lorena. "He sensed the pain in you and knew that the Dark One would try to get to you through that pain. In fact, he has been trying to keep the Dark One away from you in your dreams. He is sorry that he has been forced to attack you in the Dream, but it was to keep you from falling into the Dark One's clutches." Black Dawn whined and crawled on his belly toward her and rolled over to expose his underside. Strager sighed and went to his knees. "Dawn sensed a great pain in you and can't stand to hurt one who knew about his kind. Very few humans of this world would stand their ground with a large wolf staring them down. You respected him and he is giving you a great sign of his humility by coming to you and giving you his throat and stomach. He is very sorry." Strager reached up and brought Lorena down with him.

Lorena went to her knees and carefully reached out to the animal. Touching his ever so soft fur, she closed her eyes and let her hand roam over his belly fur. She kept her hand away from his throat and tail. Those were places that were not for her to touch, she sensed. Opening her eyes, she looked to Black Dawn's ears and lowered her head slightly.

"I thank you for letting me see you that night, Black Dawn. I know of your kind from my world. I knew not to challenge you with my eyes and backed away so as to leave your territory. Wolves on my world are much like you, but smaller. We used to have a pack of wolves like you a few hundred years ago. They were huge animals and very majestic. I have always been fascinated with wolves, but the Dire wolves were always my favorite. Unfortunately, the humans on my world hunted them into extinction. Now all we have left of them are paintings and stories." Lorena's eyes filled with tears and slipped down her cheeks as she told her story.

Black Dawn whined and bumped his head under her hand. He licked her cheek and butted her under the chin to lift her head. He gave her a stare for a few seconds with a sympathetic look in his eyes, before he lay his head in her lap. He whined until she touched his ears and ran her hand over his head. He gave a small yip and settled into her lap. Lorena sighed and wiped the tears from her face. She looked to Strager for guidance.

Strager smiled at her faintly and lay a hand on her shoulder. "He says that he understands the pain of that loss. He runs with them in the Dream, but he wants you to know that he does not blame you for being scared of him. He is one of the larger wolves on this continent and many are scared of him." Strager sat beside her, but didn't touch her again. "You can straighten your legs. He's not going to move for a while. He likes your scent." Lorena laughed a little and straightened out. "Why have you not asked about my eyes? Why are you not scared of me?"

Lorena continued to pet the wolf and turned her gaze to Strager. She knew that this morning her eyes had been bright blue, but she wasn't sure what color they were now. "What color are my eyes, Strager?" she asked.

Strager cocked his head to the side like a wolf would when presented with a weird problem. "Color? They are a deep emerald green. Why do you ask?"

"This morning my eyes were a bright blue like the sky. They are green now because I am in a deep calm state. When I am angry, they deepen to a blue black." Lorena thought of something very happy and closed her eyes. She thought on her happy moment for a few seconds and opened her eyes again. "What color are they now?"

Strager pulled back from her in shock. In a matter of seconds this strange girl's eyes had went from green to a very light blue. He watched as her eyes deepened to sapphire with gold flecks around the outside edge. He was amazed. "How do you do that? I've never seen anything like it."

"On my world, there are some people who's eyes change colors with their moods. I am the only one in my family that has those kinds of eyes. Both of my parents had brown eyes and very dark hair. I was born with blue eyes and a lighter shade of hair than they." She stopped for a few moments and caught her breath on the painful memories. Black Dawn whined and bumped her hand again. She smiled down at him and gave his ears a good scrubbing. "I was lucky to get the recessive traits that gave me eyes. I love my color changing eyes. Every day I can have a new shade. I love the color of your eyes. Why would I be scared of someone with wild colored eyes like mine?" She smiled at Strager and waited on him to answer her.

Strager could barely breathe. He saw her eyes lighten again before turning a lovely shade of turquoise. He pulled himself out of her eyes and looked down to his fang brother. *What do you think of this, Dawn?*

Dawn snorted and cuddled closer to the female. *I like her. I don't like the smell of the Dark One on her, but she smells good.* With that he buried his nose into the female's stomach. He whuffed when she giggled and scratched behind his ears. *She instinctively knew what to do with my challenge and when I groveled. Her people revere us. She carries a totem of our kind in her soul. She would never hurt us intentionally. She can work the power like the females in the White Tower, but her power is not what I would think one of her kind would be able to do. She is a good female two legs and would make you a good mate.*

Strager nearly choked. *Don't joke like that. I will not have a mate. I have seen it.*

Black Dawn just snorted and lifted his head from the female's lap. *You will have a mate before you die. I will see to that. I do not place as much faith in your visions as you two legs do.*

"Come, we need to get back to the camp." Lorena pushed the heavy wolf off her lap and stood. Grabbing the bundle of wood, she turned to Strager. "You going to sit there like a lump?"

Strager sighed and followed her back to camp. By the time they arrived, the Aiel had returned and were skinning the two small deer that they had brought down. Lorena asked them if she could trade for the skins, but they declined and said they would give them to her if she would teach them how to make a healing salve from some of the local plants. They didn't trust Aed Sedai powers and would rather have the skills to heal themselves. Lorena agreed and built up the fire without using the One Power. After they were settled for the night, Lorena broached the question she had been dying to ask.

"So why drag me away from a different fire with some handsome men to keep me company? I could have been soaking in a hot springs!" She turned the meat and shot each of them a glare. The wolf came over to her and sniffed at some of the raw meat waiting to be smoked. Lorena tossed him a couple of pounds of the fattier meat. He chuffed and then ate his fill.

Strager rubbed his head and sat forward to shuffle the coals. "I had a vision of you dying if my fang brother and I didn't find you. We have to be with you or else you will die."

Lorena didn't dismiss his remarks off hand, for she was of a people that believed in true dreams and visions. "And why would you think that? Can you tell me what your vision showed?"

"We were somewhere in Cairhen, I think. We weren't far from the Aiel Waste. A man in black was standing over your lifeless body and was laughing. Your blood ran from your body to mingle with a river of blood that led back to the Cairhen Sun Throne." Strager paused and tried to remember what else he had seen. "Three men stood screaming their pain as you lay dead. A white wolf rose from your body and ran as far as it could away from the laughing man." Grimacing at the scene he wished he hadn't seen, he lifted his yellow eyes to hers. "That is all I remember from the vision."

Lorena nodded and thought of the implications. "I think the three men would be my Warders. I may not be Aes Sedai, but I have decided to bond some men to me. Trisain Sedai and Grimani Sedai said it would be worth doing. Though I think I would destroy the bond before I die. I do not want their deaths on my concious as I lay dying." She shrugged her shoulders and lifted a peice of venison to her lips and ripped into it.

"You are well with this vision, sister?" Na'fha asked, taking some of the meat.

Lorena nodded. "I don't want to die, but if the Great Father has decreed I die, then I die. I just hope that I die with a sword in my hand and not some other way."

"Spoken like a true Aiel!" The older Maiden finally spoke. Her voice was a sweet alto and pleasent to the ears. "We must take her as a Maiden, Serela."

Serela grunted and nodded. "If the Stone Dog can be bothered to part with her, Crima." Her voice was rough and scratchy, as if she had been smoking most of her young life.

Lorena laughed heartily at that and smiled at them both. "I doubt that he will have a problem. I could always feed him to you both!" All three women laughed as the two men looked askance at them. Sobering, Lorena pinned both men with a glare to fry them on the spot. "And you could not have come to me with this earlier? Why did we have to march nearly twenty miles just so you could tell me this? We could have met up at the camp site. I only have thirteen days of rest before the Wise Ones, Maidens, and the Aes Sedai come after me again. I plan to spend some of that time breaking in my Warders."

Strager blinked. "You still plan to take on the men?"

"Of course. Visions are just one possibility of the future. There are many weaves in this world. All it takes is one small snag to change the pattern." Lorena tossed her stick into the fire and proceded to wrap the extra meat into leaves and covered them in mud. Sticking them into the fire, she raked the hot coals over pouches. She then went to the skins and scraped the sinew and fat still clinging to the skins, stretched them over some poles and leaned them over the coals. She tossed the scrapings into the fire, washed her hands and sat back down. "We have a myth on my world of the Three Fates. They hold the strands of everyone's life in their hands and determine when they will send you to Hades to be judged. They can be cruel and senseless in their determinations. But they can be merciful. They weave the pattern of our lives into a majestic tapestry that tells the story of your life." She smiled sadly. "The Fates were cruel to me, when they took my parents from me at a young age. But that tragedy helped to shape me into the person I am today."

The Maidens nodded and kept quiet. Na'fha and Strager could only sit and wonder at the wisdom that one so young had gathered in so short a time. To lighten the mood, Strager and the Maidens told stories till late into the night. The next morning, the small group headed back to the house. Lorena's group had gained three more people and one wolf.


	13. A Bonding We Shall Go

Do Not Go Gently

Chapter 13

A Bonding We Shall Go

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Lorena was sore and irritated with her group. Strager and Na'fha didn't get her home until near dark the day before. Black Dawn was roaming around the forest outside the estate walls and making the horses nervous. Seth had reamed her as soon as she had come in the door for nearly forty-five minutes before she had decked him and went to soak in her bath. Before she had even made it to her bed, Ian had stormed into her sitting room and demanded to know what had happened in the forest. Thoroughly tired of them all, she had called on the sadir, wrapped him in massive weaves of Air, and sent him literally flying from her suite and into the hallway. She had then told every single male in hearing distance that she was not to be disturbed for the next twelve hours. That didn't last.

By first light, the wolf had somehow snuck into the house and had snuggled into the bed with her. An eye twitch started ten minutes later when Strager barrelled into her room and then curled up on the foot of her bed to sleep with his fang brother. Behind him came Seth seething in anger at finding the man in her bed. Black Dawn woke from his sleep and nearly tore Seth apart before she got a hand on him. Donald and Rhys weren't far behind to drag the bleeding Seth from the room still ranting. The commotion had then woken Ian, Trisain, Grim, two of her Warders, and Saris, who all piled in to see what was going on. Lorena's eye twitch became even more noticeable as soon as Leonard came in scratching his bare chest and yawning. The bastard had went to bed early the night before and had been asleep for well over ten hours. SHE had only gotten five hours of sleep.

Grabbing her weaves, she wove Air and Fire to amplify her voice and place gags in all of their mouths. She held onto Dawn and glared at all of them. She was standing on her bed in a tank top and boxers. Her hair had come undone from her braid and was sticking up all over the place. She had bags under her eyes and they were a nasty bruise color. Her eyes were nearly black in her fury. Screaming, she told them all to shut the hell up.

"What part of 'DO NOT DISTURB ME' did any of you miss last night? Hmmm? Please tell me why I have the whole household in my bedroom? And how the hell did Dawn get into the house?" She was screeching. She hated to screech. She jerked Dawn's ruff to make him stop growling and glared at Strager. "If you let him in here, I will skin you alive and wear your skin as a trophy!" As her anger let off, her eyes turned a wicked shade of blue nearly the same color as balefire. "I want to know why I have a wolf in my bed!" She lifted the weaves and flopped onto the bed. Dawn whined as he lay his head into her lap. She still had a grip on his ruff. Strager was giving her a look as if he couldn't believe that she had complete control over his fang brother.

Strager staggered forward and looked down into the small woman's furious gaze. "I am so sorry, Dream Walker! I only spied him as he came into the room! You were asleep and I did not wish to wake you." He gave her his hand and waited for the reprimand.

Lorena glared at him, grabbed his hand and shoved him down onto the bed. "Stay there. SETH!"

Donald and Rhys let him go. He stormed back into the room and stomped over to her. "Tell me why I found that man in your bed!" he demanded.

Lorena shifted Dawn off her lap and gave him a silent order to stay put with a shake to his head. She stood and went toe to toe with Seth. Her eyes darkened to black as her fury climbed her again. It was time to end this man's obnoxious holier-than-thou attitude. She wove a thread of Air and cut off his vocal cords. She wove another thin weave of Air and wrapped him in it to stop his movements. Smoothing her hair down, she tied off the weaves and let go of the sweet mercy of sadir. She was thankful that Trisain and Grim had been teaching her those weaves. They came in awful handy.

"Let me tell you something, Master Seth," she growled into his face. "I am tired, sore, and very cranky. I have had five hours of sleep of the twelve that I wanted to get. If I want to have a man in my bed, it is of no consequence to you who I bring into it. You are NOT my husband. You are NOT my guardian. YOU ARE NOT MY KEEPER!" She moved around him and sized up his lean muscle and exquisite physique. "You are training to be my Warder. If I take you to my bed, so be it. If not, you will have to get over the fact that I do not want you. You may have appointed yourself my mate, but that does not give you the right to storm into MY quarters and demand answers. I am your bloody god given Mistress! Not the other way around! How dare you storm into my sanctuary after the way you acted last night. Did you forget the broken nose I gave you? Would you like another one? I will not have Trisain Sedai heal you and you can carry the reminder of what happens when you royally piss me off!" Lorena's eyes were blazing. Her fury had carried them from a deep black sapphire to a blazing electric blue.

"Furthermore, every time you come at me with the attitude that you have, I will with-hold the bond just to keep you in misery," she railed.

Leonard had to stop this. Lorena's fury was something to be afraid of. He had watched her tear three men apart in front of him with just her fists. Granted, they had thought her easy prey because she was small and looked vulnerable, but she had nearly killed them. If he didn't stop her, she was going to kill Seth.

"Lorena!" he shouted.

Lorena spun to pin her Master with a deadly glare. "This is not your concern, Master."

Leonard, ignoring her temper, went on. "You must stop this. You are going to kill him if you keep on. You must calm down, love. Please," he pleaded in a soft voice. "This is not the way to handle this."

Lorena snorted and whirled Seth around with a flick of Air. "For him, this is the only way. If you do not want to be witness to this, then leave." She glared at her Master and pointed to the door. "I will not have this man berating me for all and sundry. I am a fucking grown woman! Not some fifteen year-old chit that needs guidance. I have survived to much to be treated like chattel! You know this. But you don't know everything." Lorena's fury broke then and she collapsed against her adopted father. "Oh, please make it stop, Father!" Tears came hard then as she buried her head into his chest. She felt his arms fold around her as he rocked her like a small child. He sat on the bed, carrying her into his lap as she curled around him.

"Everyone, leave," Leonard ordered. "Strager, you and the wolf stay. You may be needed. Seth can't be unbound till she lets him go." He looked to Trisain and Saris. "Please forgive her. I will explain everything later." He watched as the group left. Donald and Ian trailed the group and stood guard outside the door. He waited for the tears to subside as he whispered words of soothing into her hair. He hated this the most about women, but with Lorena, he would sacrifice much. She really was like a daughter to him. And this secret she was holding from him was hurting his heart. He wished that Braxus, his dragon, was with him. He needed to go to him on the morrow and sleep curled in the ancient beast's nest.

"Tell me what is wrong baby girl. Please? I love you and want to help," Leonard whispered.

Lorena calmed down and lay quiet in her father's arms. Something she missed. Warm, loving arms just holding her as her pain ate her alive. She sniffed and wiped her nose with her tank top. She was going to have to change again. The day was steadily getting worse. She took in a deep breath and lifted her head.

Leonard almsot lost his breath at the color of her eyes. They were nearly ice blue. He had never seen them that color. "What is it? What has you in so much pain?" He felt a warm body push between him and Lorena and wasn't surprised when the large black wolf buried his head into Lorena. He could sense her hurt and was trying to soothe her in anyway he could. Strager had even come closer, placing himself to Leonard's left and wrapping his arms around the girl. Where had she found this stray mutt with his bright yellow eyes?

Lorena savored the feel of both men holding her. She felt loved and protected. Taking a few deep breaths, she answered her father. "Right after I started my senior year in school, I was living with a foster family. My grandparents had just passed and I was still a minor, so they had to put me in foster care. I was placed with a good family. They even had two older boys and a younger daughter. I was there a few weeks before they turned on me. The father beat me repeatedly. The mother turned a blind eye to my screams for help. The boys loved to hear me scream. The girl was never home when they beat me, so she never knew. After a couple of months of beatings, the assaults started. First it was the father, then the boys. The mother was out of the house every time. My cries for help went unheard. The neighbors never heard me." Lorena shook as she recalled the horrors she had to live with everyday in that house. "The social worker didn't believe me. I didn't have any scars or bruises. She thought I was lying. I told her to take me to the hospital to have them check me out. I wanted out of that house. After every visit, the beatings were worse and the assaults more brutal."

Tears fell as she recalled the very last one. "The very last one I recieved, I broke free and made it outside. I was naked and bloody. They had been especially brutal that night. All three of them had taken turns. I had to do something. I knew that I wasn't going to make it another day in that house." Lorena shuddered and sobbed. "After the younger son was done, the dad came at me again. He forced me to take him in my mouth. I couldn't do it. I was gagging. I snapped and bit down hard. I spit it out. As he screamed, his boys let me go. I spun off the table they had me on and grabbed the nearest thing I could find. I think it was a bat. I hit all three of them and ran. I was picked up by the police a few minutes later hiding a few blocks away."

She sat up and turned to look at Seth. She saw the pain there in his eyes. Tears were tracking down his face. He felt her torment. She contiued, "They tried to take me to the hospital, but I wanted them all in jail. When they got there, that bitch was trying get him into the car. There was no denying the fact that he was injured. There was blood everywhere. Before the police could do anything, I was out the door and on her. I hit her with everything I had. I screamed at her. Asking her why she allowed them to rape me repeatedly. Why she allowed them to beat me daily. Do you know why she let them do it to me? So they would stop doing it to her and her daughter. I collapsed. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. I was there for nearly a month. The entire family was in jail. The daughter was with relatives and she was pressing charges against every single one of her family. They had been doing that to her since she was nine. She was only twelve when they were arrested. For the three months that I was there, she knew what was happening, but she didn't know how to stop it."

Lorena stood and embraced sadir. She let the warm embrace wrap her in it's arms. She released Seth from his bonds. She let him take her in his arms as she cried again into his chest. "I am so sorry, baby girl!" he cried, as he rocked her. "I didn't know! I didn't know!"

Lorena stepped back and cupped Seth's face in her hand. "I've never told anyone but the police and the judge. No one could have known. I never went back to that place. I was allowed to move back to the farm and complete school. I spent my entire college years there. I didn't have friends over. I got some self defense training, but it was you, Leonard," she said, turning to her Master, "it was you that helped me channel that anger into something useful. I was never a victim after that." She held out her hand and smiled wetly. "I never meant to let it get out of control again. I thought I was over it. I was becoming interested in men again."

Strager only understood one thing about the whole situation, his pack mate had been hurt badly. It had wounded her soul deeply. He looked to his fang brother and both stood and joined the little group. He wrapped his arms around all three and held on. Dawn wedged his way into the middle and whined at the two legged female that he had decided was his to keep. She reached down to rub his ears. Strager held on tight for a moment longer then backed away.

"I think Dawn and I will take a stroll around the estate. You need some time, Dream Walker." With that he shooed Dawn out in front of him and closed the door behind him.

Lorena pulled back from the comfort and love. She gave each of them a smile and stepped back. "I think Seth and I need to be alone, Father. I have some apologizing to do." Leonard nodded and left without a word. She turned to Seth and held out her hand. "Please, come sit with me." She led him to the bed and scooted up into the bed, pulling him along. Once she was settled, she leaned against his shoulder and sighed. "I have treated you so poorly, Seth."

Seth gently lay an arm around her and pulled the woman he loved more than his life close. He knew that she was going to take on more than him as a Warder and he was prepared to share her with whomever she took on. He had enough love for them all. "I will forgive you if you will forgive me. I know that I can be hard on you. But you are the heir to our Order. You must start acting like a princess." He laughed at her expression. "Well, the Order is known across several worlds, not just Earth and this one. We are here to help the people on this world with the Dark One. We could be on this world for several years, but that doesn't mean that you can just run off and do what you want. You are in a military unit as second in command. We work independently but also together." He flicked her crinkled nose then leaned down to kiss it. "You really are trouble."

Lorena smiled up into Seth's amber eyes. Slowly, she pulled Seth's face to her and nibbled at his lips. Exploring his lips with hers, she let her hands roam through his short blonde hair. It fit with his tall, lean body. The body of a trained swordsman, it was tightly wound with muscle and sinew. Seth had to top her by nearly a foot and he was strong. He had put on more muscle and some weight since training with the Warders, but she liked it. Deepening the kiss, she straddled him as her hands pushed his shirt from his shoulders.

Seth pulled back and looked into her passion deepened eyes. "Do you really want this?"

Nipping his lip, Lorena sat back. "Of course. Now shut up."

(a) (a) (a)

Later that afternoon, Lorena and Seth emerged. Lorena was smiling as was Seth. They were on the way to track down Grim and Trisain. Lorena needed to learn the weaves so she could bond Seth to her. They found everyone in the sitting room off the billiards room. Lorena gave everyone a huge smile.

"I wish to apologize for my words and actions this morning," she said with a small curtsy. "I hope that you can forgive me."

Trisain and Grim exchanged knowing looks. Both stood and bore down on the girl. Lorena saw them, dropped Seth's arm, and tore off down the hall. Grim and Trisain hooted in laughter and gave chase. Black Dawn yipped in happiness and joined the hunt. Strager shook his head and settled back into the couch. The other men just looked confused.

"What just happened?" asked a dazed Seth.

"Besides your apparent hook up with Lorena, I would say that those women have a very special course for her to learn," answered Donald. He handed Rhys a tumbler of congac as he slid down to sit on the arm of the couch. "Don't worry so much. They get along perfectly well. The Aes Sedai won't hurt her. They just love to torment her." He smiled down on his lover and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "So have you and Lorena come to terms?"

Seth blushed, but nodded. "She and I have decided that we are just going to have a friends with benenfits relationship. I do love her, but not in the marrying kind of way." Seth sat beside Rhys after grabbing a congac. "So what do we have on the agenda for today?"

Donald snorted. "The day is nearly gone. It's nearly time for the evening meal."

"We could get some sparring in," Seth suggested.

Leonard shook his head. "Let's just relax for now. All you young ones will be leaving on the morrow for a nice camping trip to the hot springs. We older folks are going to enjoy a quiet house for a week or so."

Seth and Donald both broke out laughing. Seth recovered first. "Leo, you are only a few years over forty so pull the other one. Saris and Trisain are just as young, even with the One Power. Grim is a force to be reckoned with. So what have you old farts got planned?"

Leo threw a pillow at the younger man. "I wouldn't be saying anything, Seth. You are only three years away from your fortieth birthday. And here you are sleeping with a girl barely out of school!" He sighed dramatically and fell back into his chair.

Saris, Strager, and Ian passed looks between the men. Strager cocked his head like a curious dog and asked, "You are not upset at Seth for sleeping with your daughter?"

Leo sobered and answered, "Lore is old enough to make her own decisions. She has a very old soul in her and it makes her more wise and better adapted to live than most. She is really my adopted daughter as her parents are dead. She is still young enough to worry about, but she is an adult and has been for a very long time. Besides," he said standing, "I figured it would have happened sooner or later. She will need the men that she is gathering to her. Let's just hope that they can adapt to her quirks and needs. They will have to be able to travel with her when we leave this world."

Strager nodded. "I understand. Black Dawn has grown attached to her. It is strange for me to admit, but I do believe that I will have to leave with you when you leave. My fang brother will not leave that girl for nothing."

Leo crinkled his brow in thought. "I do not know how your power will transfer over the worlds, but Saris only lost a little of his power when he crossed, so it shouldn't affect you much at all. We will have to take you over to visit my world so you can get used to it. As for the wolf, we will move out to my estate in the country. One to keep him from causing panic in the city and to give him plenty of room to run." He scratched his head and thought for a second. "I have a friend that would like to look at your wolf. He is the exact size of the dire wolves we used to have. It would be good to have those animals running about again."

Strager smiled and nodded happily. "Dawn mentioned them a the other day. I would like to meet your wolves. I may be able to talk to them."

Leo blinked but agreed. "How old are you Strager? You look fairly old."

"I've just passed my twentieth summer, though I have been running with Black Dawn since I was just a small child. I was chosen by the wolves not long after my village was destroyed by raiders. I lost everyone that night, but I gained my brother."

"I thought that the Wolf Brothers ran in larger packs," Saris stated.

Strager grabbed a glass from the side table and made himself a drink. "They do. But Black Dawn is a huge wolf compared to the others. They kicked him from the pack and I bonded with him. Where he goes, I go." He shrugged and downed the fiery liquid. "Dawn and I adapted well and I can associate with humans better than most of my kin. As you know, very few of us can stand being near humans and revert to wild and feral people."

Leo clapped the boy on the shoulder. "You will do well in our group. Tell me, do you have much weapons training?"

Strager shook his head. "I get by with my daggers, but they don't help when I am being attacked with swords or arrows."

"Ha!" Leo barked. "I have a friend that can teach you how to use those daggers and be deadly from thirty yards. Would you like to meet him?"

Strager smiled brightly. "I would!"

"Alright, but first I am going to test you so that I can gauge your skill level and see what I have to work with." Leo guided the boy out to the stables, leaving the others to finish their drinks.

(a) (a) (a) (a)

Lorena gasped in a breath. She had been running for the last few minutes, Trisain and Grim following her doggedly. Her muscles were still sore from the sex and running wasn't helping the ones in her legs. Black Dawn let out a yip down the hall. Lorena jerked up and ran again. She knew the wolf could have had her a long time ago, but he was just guiding the Aes Sedai. Damn wolf! As she turned to run, she stopped and thought about a weave she wanted to try. Grabbing sadir, she wove Earth, Spirit, and Air together. Hoping that the weave she wove would hold, she spun a cloak around herself that would cloud the wolf's sense of smell, sight, and hearing. She then wove a second one that would overlay that one to block the women's senses as well. Tying off the weave, she dropped sadir and ran a few more feet to an alcove and slid into it. She just hoped that Balck Dawn didn't smell her. The looks on those two women were scary.

She waited in silence as the women came around the corner of the hall with the wolf out in front. He swung his head back and forth across the floor to track her flight. Grim and Trisani were smiling and chattering quietly. As the wolf came to the spot were she had wrapped herself, he stopped and snorted. He looked directly at her and grinned. Damn! What surprised her was him not notifying the women. She kept quiet and listened as the women came closer.

"Why do you think she ran?" Trisain asked, stopping a few feet from the alcove.

"Probably because we were grinning like fools and scared the poor girl. One look at two Aes Sedai with evil grins on their faces would have caused any right thinking person to take off," Grim responded. She shook her hair off her shoulders and sighed. "I really wish she would stop acting like some Novice and come out. We really need to teach her those weaves so she can take that man as her Warder. I still think she should be part of the Green."

"Yellow!" Trisain shot back automatically. "Oh, who am I kidding? That girl is powerful, but something is blocking half her power. Ashes, she's almost as powerful as Elayne or Nyneave! If she is raised to the shawl, she would be above us in power even as she is now."

Grim nodded and chewed on a nail. "We really need to take her to Salidar to get her tested and raised. We need the bodies. And I will make sure that she isn't kept there. I will bring her back as soon as she meets the Amyrilyn and recieves her ring. I need to get back to the south as soon as I can. The Seanchan are moving further north and there have been rumors of them moving further east with those horrible damane." Both women shuddered at the thought of those poor women being used like dogs.

Lorena sighed. She cut the weaves and stepped away from the alcove. "Alright, I will stop running. I really need to get this over with and then we can relax before heading out to see the Amyrilyn. I am guessing that Egwene al'Vere is the Mother?"

Both women jumped when they felt the source taken and immediately dropped, but recovered when Lorena stepped away from the shadows. "Yes," Trisain stated. "We will be leaving for Salidar a few days after you get back from the hot springs. During those few days, Grim and I will be teaching you the weaves you will need to master before being raised. After your raising, you will be given the choice of which Ajah you will go into."

"Green," she answered back with no hesitation. "I am a warrior and since the Green Ajah is the battle Ajah, then that is the one I will be going into." Lorena shared a smile with Grim. "Besides, I do believe that it is also the only Ajah that lets you take more than one Warder."

(a) (a) (a) (a)

After dinner, the household gathered in the parlor off the billiards room. It was time for the bonding ceremony. Lorena had opted to dress in her battle gear. She was wearing a hunter green lawn shirt over which she wore a darker green cincher and her black leather battle pants. She had sent off for a pair of roughened black heeled combat boots that she had at her apartment with silver grommets and knife sheaths built into the outer sides. Her sword was strapped to her side as well as a smaller dagger belt around her waist. Her hair had been done in multiple braids tight to her head and flowed from her neck with small silver dragon trinkets on the ends to secure them. Around her throat she wore a choker of black leather with a jade dragon undulating across it. In her ears she had changed her hoops for smaller silver studs and a jade ear cuff and chain in her left ear.

She waited on the party to gather round and motioned for Seth to come to her. "I take to me, Seth Drago, as my Warder. May the Light bless you as I take you into my keeping."

Seth knelt at her feet, taking her hand. "I, Seth Drago, give my sword, my life, and my pledge to always keep you from harm. I give my life willingly to this woman to protect and shelter from all that would harm her."

Carefully, Lorena opened herself to sadir and wove the bonding weaves. She placed her hands on either side of Seth's shoulders and settled the net into place. As the weaves melded them together, she threw her head back and gasped as the weaves sunk into them both. She could feel Seth's love for her and his pride. She could feel everything that he did. She could only imagine what Seth felt from her. He had to feel the love she had for him and the joy that poured through her.

"Do you see the gold veins, Grim?" Trisain whispered. "The love that they have for each other?"

Grim wiped a tear from her eye. "We should be lucky to witness this. Bonding a new Warder is so secretive and private, but she has the guts to be a great woman and Aes Sedai. I only hope that the new Amyrilyn will take her."

"If she doesn't, then she is a fool," Trisain ground out. She sniffed at Grim's indrawn breath. "The new Mother is still just a child. But, she has wisdom on her side. She shouldn't raise this girl, then I will have to have a talk with her."

After the ceremony, the group settled in for a night of fun and games. Not long after the younger people agreed to meet in the courtyard first thing in the morning and set out. Trisain and Grim agreed to get the necessary provisions ready for the trip to Salidar the following week with Saris and Ian accompanying them to make the Gates and have extra protection. All in all it was going to be a very busy couple of weeks.

(a) (a) (a)

Okay people, this is where the story will be jumping foreward a couple of years. The next part of the story will be taken up just after the events in Towers of Midnight. Hopefully, I will be updating at least once or twice a week. I am working on some original fiction also, so my time will be split between the two.

Thank you for reading! 


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